


Her Sire

by MadSoullessQueen



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, MardLu, Romance, Vampire!MardLu, sadist
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-06-25 17:19:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 71,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15645375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadSoullessQueen/pseuds/MadSoullessQueen
Summary: Lucy receives a summons from her father but the news is not what she wanted to hear. A stranger has bought her hand in marriage and she must leave immediately to be with him. There were many things she didn't expect from this, but Lucy will learn much about herself and the vampire she must marry. AU, MardLu, all the citrus





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GemNika](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GemNika/gifts).



Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail. Dedicated to im ur misconception and GemNika, because it's their fault.

* * *

Lucy sucked in a deep breath to steel her courage before she knocked on the large oak door before her. Her father never summoned her and ever since Leo fetched her, she'd been nothing but nerves. She looked up to the ceiling for a moment, sending a silent prayer to her mom this will be okay, that she's just panicking over nothing.

"Enter," his gruff voice called out and Lucy yipped.

She turned the knob, half expecting it to burn her hand, but it didn't. The door opened soundlessly, and she peeked her head in. Her father's office was enormous and intimidating. The long, vaulted ceiling room was practically empty except for the large imposing desk at the end of it. Equally imposing was Jude Heartfilia himself. He wore his power like armor and his face rarely could ever be called friendly.

"Get in here, Lucy," he said not bothering to look up from his papers.

As quiet as a mouse, Lucy walked into the room, making sure to shut the door, as was proper. He was not always like this, Lucy remembered, he changed so drastically after her mother died. Six years ago, Lucy not only lost her mother, but the man she loved as her dad. Jude was cold and cruel to her. Lucy was never enough for the man; nothing was ever enough. Through her young wisdom she realized it was just his grieving and, in her innocence, believed he would snap out of it and be her loving father again.

"Yes, father," she said as she lowered herself into a proper curtsy.

"I have finalized the paperwork and found you a husband, Jude said, his voice cold and eyes fixed at the papers and not her. "You leave today. Good-bye."

"Is that all you can say to me?" she asked, not bothering to stop her tears from falling.

"There is nothing more to say, our business is done," he shuffled a few papers and waved her off.

Lucy's feet were frozen into place, her heart was reeling, and all she could do was sob at the news. This could not be right. He can't sell his own daughter like this, could he? She could run away and perhaps that's exactly what she should do. It would be scary, and she had no idea what she would do for money or a home or anything, but she was smart and could figure this out.

Lucy sucked in a breath and turned around, ready to flee this house and not be married off to some man who would dare to buy a teenage girl. She had only just graduated high school and was readying to celebrate her eighteenth birthday by accepting the full scholarship to Fiore Academy of Science. Why now?

Two more weeks and she'd be legal age to run away and he couldn't stop her. Lucy knew that was a lie, her father would find a way to get what he wants, and what he wanted was to be rid of her. Why marriage, why not just let her run off to college and be free?

She sighed, she knew the answer to all of her own questions, his power and money obsession dictated that he sell her. If she had to guess, her buyer was a wealthy person with a company or prestige that Jude needed to further his own ambitions. That's all she was, just another calculated commodity.

"Oh, Lucy, before you think of running away, let me assure you that I have increased security. The marriage contract is signed, and it is legally binding. You will not bring me further shame with your presence. Be grateful." Jude said, his voice firm and barely above a whisper.

"You sold me!" she shrieked, no longer caring about playing by his rules.

"You are my property, and I can do with you as I will. You will finally make me money and get out from this house." Jude stood up and Lucy found herself taking several timid steps back. He pushed the button on his desk for his intercom, and ordered Capricorn to come in and take her away.

Lucy turned and put her chin down, trying to run as fast as she could. She touched the door knob when it opened for her and a large hand grabbed her wrist. The petite woman looked up at the large bodyguard in a tailored black suit and swallowed hard.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be kid," he gruffed at her and Lucy tried to pull out of his grasp. He stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her waist before lifting her up and tossing her like a sack of turnips over his shoulder.

All of that happened less than two hours ago and now, Lucy could not stop the tears from falling down her face as the limo sped along the road. Trapped in the backseat between two large bodyguards, she was resigned to her fate.

Property.

Her father turned her into property and then promptly sold her to the highest bidder.

She should have seen all the warning signs, his detachment, the six different parties he had thrown in as many months and introduced her to too many men for her comfort. No, she was just a stupid seventeen-year-old girl, who didn't want to believe her father was capable of such a thing.

"You should stop crying. Your soon to be husband won't like you looking like a pufferfish," Capricorn said to her and Lucy sniffled at him.

"He's stuck with it," she said, knowing damn well she was being a brat and not caring. The man wanted to buy a teenager, then he can deal with one.

"Lucy, you're a member of high society, these kinds of deals are made every day. You're not that stupid to think you were immune," he said as he dug through her purse. Capricorn pulled out the little packet of tissues and her compact. "Fix yourself up, we'll be at the Tartaros estate in five minutes."

"Tartaros? As in Tartaros Mercenaries?" she asked, stunned by that name. Everyone had heard of Tartaros Mercenaries and the whispers of the type of work that they did, but no one spoke of the man who owned it. Lucy tried to recall ever meeting a Mr. Tartaros, but nothing came to mind. She was drawing a complete blank about this man and that was surprising for her.

Lucy had her mother's knack for remembering names and faces, so she would have easily recalled this man. If there was nothing in her memories of him, then her father must have found him recently. Which meant he was most likely buying, sight unseen. The pessimistic side of her mind had figured that he would be four hundred pounds with horrible acne and man boobs. Least this way Jude wouldn't have to tap dance around Lucy almost vomiting, like she had done with Duke "Meatball."

"Yes, his name is Mard Geer Tartaros and if I knew more, Lucy, I would tell you," Capricorn said, his voice softening for a moment.

"Why are you doing this?" Lucy asked as she blotted her wet cheeks."Mama would be mad at you." Capricorn had been with her family for most of her life and he was especially attached to her mother, Layla. They were the best of friends but like everyone else a shadow passed over him when her mother died. He now went from laughing, smiling and teaching her self-defense to a man who used short sentences and followed orders.

"I don't have a choice Lucy. None of us do, we work for the man."

"You could quit," she retorted.

"And then what? I take you away, help you start a life and you know what? Your father and Mr. Tartaros would use every asset at their disposal to find us. You'll only be forced to be with this man and most likely, I'll be dead. You know how Jude is about traitors," he said, and Lucy nodded. For as stuck as she was with this, so were the household staff. Capricorn was right, and Lucy knew it, even if she didn't want to believe it.

"I know…" her voice trailed off as the car came to a stop. The stop lasted for a few seconds and Lucy knew that soon the ride was over.

Capricorn took her hand and squeezed it. She looked up at him and saw how he tried to smile at her. If she pulled off his sunglasses, odds were his eyes were wet. Lucy knew the man was hating himself for this, but damn this life, it entraps everyone. No one was safe from the dealings of Jude Heartfilia, not even her.

The car stopped, and Capricorn let go of her hand as she finished correcting her makeup. Lucy wasn't doing it to impress Mr. Tartaros but for Capricorn, to make his life a little easier. She got out of the vehicle and tried to not gawk at the crimson Gothic castle in front of her.

Lucy craned her head up to look at the considerable monument before her. There were twin curved staircases that led to the main entrance. The entrance could not be described as welcoming with its pointed arch that had carvings of naked angels being sexually attacked by demons. She shuddered at the thought of being here and barely wanted to examine the rest of the castle. Though it was hard not to, not with all the spires reaching for Heaven, gigantic windows with rounded tops and gargoyles at every corner. For a moment Lucy felt as if she was being watched.

"Maybe it's nicer on the inside?" Capricorn whispered to her and Lucy bit her lip. He took her bags and motioned for her to lead. Lucy really didn't want to.

She clutched her purse and slowly started walking up the staircase. As she got to the top she noticed that tucked inside the archway and flanking the large black doors were two beautiful white marble vases with roses in them. Lucy had never seen these kinds of roses before, they were heavy blooms in a deep blood red.

Before she could grab the door knocker, it opened, and a blonde-haired man stood before her. Lucy must have been tired, he looked like he had blonde dog ears hiding within his shaggy haircut. He wore a black three-piece suit with a deep purple tie and black shirt. She noticed he was missing shoes and had some impressive toe nails shaped into claws. Already this place was like something out of a horror movie or trashy vampire novel.

Oh god, what if this Mard Geer was a vampire?

Lucy tried to keep her composure as she pictured a Bela Lugosi doppelganger chasing her around crying for her blood. Which lead into the song "I'll do Anything for Love," to start playing in her head. Well no one ever said she didn't have an active imagination.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice filled with annoyance.

"I..." Lucy swallowed. "I'm Lucy Heartfilia, Mr. Tartaros is expecting me." She managed to get it out, though she was certain that it more than like sounded like gibberish.

"Oh right..." He clicked his tongue and stepped to the side. "Well, get those nice tits in here."

Lucy's eyes went wide as she took a half a step back, not used to hearing such a thing being uttered at her. "Excuse me?"

He rolled his eyes and huffed, "Oh do come in, my lady." Now his voice was over the top in mocking and a really lousy fake British accent.

"Thank you." She slipped by him and made it a few feet into the foyer. Unlike the outside of this castle, the inside foyer was more modern looking with a smooth white marble floor, topped with elegant red Persian rugs, dark woodwork and minimalist style dark wood furniture pieces.

"You know, sugar tits, if the bossman doesn't do it for you, I can show ya where I sleep," he said to her and Lucy stepped back, right into Capricorn. She could feel the large man's body tense at this servant's words and she stopped herself from shrieking at the very rude help.

"Enough, Jackal. That is no way to treat my bride," a deep voice called out and Lucy felt it race down her spine as she fought to not shiver. She looked around for the owner of the voice and finally looking up, she saw a tall man standing at the top of the stairs.

Lucy felt the heat creep up on her cheeks as she looked at the unearthly beautiful man above her. He wore a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the top three buttons undone, giving her a peek of his chest. Low slung black jeans that wrapped around muscular thighs and polished black dress shoes. His face was stunning with high cheekbones, semi-full lips and large slightly slanted black eyes, all beautifully framed by black purple hair held up in a ponytail. For a moment Lucy was a bit jealous of how nice his hair truly was.  _Least he doesn't have man boobs and acne._

"Close your mouth, you look like a rube standing there and follow me," He commanded, and Lucy quickly shut her mouth, which she hadn't realized was even open. "Jackal, take her bags to her room."

She took a moment to look back at Capricorn and he gave her a sad smile before handing over her bags and leaving. As he left, Lucy knew that would be the last contact she'd ever have with her previous life. That might be a welcome thing, considering how depressing the last few years had been.

"Better move that ass of yours," Jackal said.

Lucy gave a shaky nod and slowly crept up the stairs, heading to the right, which was where she thought Mr. Tartaros had walked. She looked down the hallways and saw only one of the doors open, and she walked into the room. For once she guessed right as she saw him sitting back in a black velvet wingback chair as he held a cup of coffee in his hands.

The room was a two story octagon shaped room with bookshelves on the walls and massive windows framed with dark red curtains. The only seating area was two wingback chairs with a dark conversation table between them. A large chandelier draped from the ceiling, it created little shards of rainbows along the upper part of the room. Though she wasn't old enough, her eyes went over to the small antique bar car off to the side and she longed for a drink to take the edge off.

"Shut the door," he said, and Lucy did as he instructed. She turned around to look at him, and he seemed bored by her.

"I'm…" He held up his hand, stopping her from speaking.

"I know who you are, now strip," he said.

"Excuse me?"

"I have a right to inspect my merchandise. Strip of your own will, or I can force you." He gave her a sardonic smile. "I might enjoy that more than you."

Lucy wanted to run out of here. She had no desire to handle a pervert, even a handsome pervert. Her hands trembled as she clutched onto her purse as if it was a magical shield against the man in front of her. He set down the coffee cup and before her next heartbeat he was upon her.

* * *

Mard Geer had zero patience for many things, one of which was his orders not being followed at the exact second they were given. His new bride had already failed to keep up with him and his orders, twice. He tried to be polite and let her strip herself, but this was not working.

All he wanted was to gaze upon her skin, make sure she was not marked by darkness or another creature. The last three times he tried to purchase a bride from a promising family line, they had issues. Minerva had a demon's branding on her back, Lisanna had vampire puncture scars up and down her inner thighs, and her older sister Mira turned out to be a half demon with the surgical scars showing where a tail had been, and he detested demon blood.

This Lucy was his current hope to find a young bride so that he could finally get his own immortal father off his ass. Zeref was annoyed that Mard was the only one who had not found a bride to awaken and produce progeny. The arguments had started three hundred years ago with Mard promising that he would find a bride, in his own time. That was not good enough and to appease Zeref, once a century Mard had to make a worthwhile attempt at the endeavor.

This time he was fortunate in that he happened to be at the right club at the right time to listen to a drunken billionaire complain about his daughter. Jude Heartfilia had rambled for at least an hour about how difficult it was to find a suitable marriage contract for his young daughter, and how he wanted her gone. Mard had made his inquiries and when he saw a picture of Lucy, he knew he had to have her. Under his geas, Mard had Jude write up the initial draft of the contract so that he could purchase the right to the blonde before him.

He had dreamt of her coffee-colored eyes and goddess-like figure for weeks as he waited for this day. Lucy was one of the most stunning women he had ever seen, and in person she was even better than his dreams or a simple picture on a cellphone. Mard was indeed impressed with her physically but so far, her manners had been slightly lacking and she seemed to be light on the articulation front.

She was dressed in a very simple outfit, a blouse and very short skirt, but he found it to his liking. Most vampires take great pride in showing off the skin of the people they feed from. At the very least, Lucy was not shy about wearing skimpy clothing.

As he stood before her he breathed in her scent, she smelt like strawberries, stardust and fear. He pursed his lips and considered the idea that it was the fear that had made her sluggish in many ways. Mard grabbed her wrist and a shock went through his body from where their skin touched. It wasn't painful, no quite the opposite, it was erotic.

"I will not violate your innocence, at this time. Now, do as your Sire commands," he whispered, his lips near her ear.

"Yo-you won't?" she asked.

"I won't. Your purity stays with you till the wedding night," Mard replied. His nose skimmed over her cheek as he pulled back from her.

"O-okay," she mumbled.

Mard walked back to his chair and took his coffee cup in his hands. He watched with rapt attention as she set down her purse on the table, before moving back several feet away from him. Lucy started undoing the buttons of her shirt, and he watched as she flushed with each button undone. The shaking in her hands was unnerving but since she was obeying him, he could exercise a bit of patience for her.

The pink silk shirt slid off her shoulders. He took in the beauty of her breasts as they threatened to spill out of her demi cup lace pink bra. Her waist was trim and stomach perfectly smooth. She was beautiful and Mard leaned back a bit to study her. After a minute her cream mini-skirt was on the floor, pooling at her ankles.

Mard shifted a bit in his seat as she stood there. "All of it."

Lucy nibbled her beautifully full bottom lip and turned around granting him a look at her creamy back. So far, he saw zero marks of any kind, not even a wayward scar. She removed the bra and turned around, her hands over her breasts. Mard arched a brow and she turned red from hair line down to her chest but she did drop her hands.

He gripped his mug, almost concerned that he might break it. Mard was using every trick at his disposal to keep himself from getting out of this chair and running his hands all over those wondrous mounds. Her hands went down to the tops of her matching lace panties and timidly she began to push the little fabric over the swell of her hips.

That was when Mard caught the scent of salt in the air and he refocused to her face where tears were coming out of her eyes. Yet, she was still complying to his demand, but something about seeing those tears was causing a deep pain in his chest. He pursed his lips, almost ready to save her from what he assumed was the humiliation she was feeling. This, obviously, was a young girl who had never been nude in front of another person before.

It was still too important for him to not have a full look at her and she would eventually have to learn how to be comfortable in his presence. Mard would be damned if she was a crying, timid mess on their wedding night, on the next full moon. The beauty of the timing was that it was also on her eighteenth birthday, least it would make the next several centuries of gift buying easier.

As the panties joined the skirt on the ground, Mard barely stopped himself from letting out a moan. She was perfectly bare and for all that is unholy he loved a smooth a woman. "Turn," he said as he stood up to get a slightly unnecessary closer view. His enhanced eyesight could see every detail from where he was, but she didn't know that.

Mard stood less than a foot from her as he let his gaze soak in every ounce of her perfect skin. Lucy was indeed flawless, not one single mark on her, nothing that would leave her distasteful in a physical sense. He pulled into his mask of impassiveness as he studied her, hoping to not scare her further. Fear was an inelegant scent.

After several minutes and many circles around her did he conclude his thoughts. Now he looked into her eyes again and gently brushed her hair off her shoulder. He skimmed his fingers along her collarbone as she took in a sharp intake of breath. Mard could hear her heart racing and his fangs began to tingle, he wanted a taste just this second.

A sample.

A sip.

His eyes on her he called up his power, forcing his will into her so that he could take his drink without worry of her screaming. Lucy's eyes became half-lidded as her face softened under his power, and Mard wrapped his arm around her waist as he pulled her against him. He whimpered, a first for him, at the feel of her body against his, and he hated his clothing at this moment. That erotic tingle he felt earlier when he grabbed her wrist was stronger now.

"You'll enjoy this," he said.

"I'll enjoy this," she repeated.

Mard leaned down and lightly licked her neck. Ambrosia, this woman was pure ambrosia sent by the gods for him to have. Another lick and he confirmed it to his mind. "Your taste…" he moaned as his fangs sharpened.

He pierced her skin and she let out a whimper at his intrusion, the sound inhumanly beautiful to him. Her blood filled his mouth and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Mard had no idea that human blood could be this potent. He felt as if he now was drinking liquid Heaven. His muscles warmed as her life flowed into his body and he felt his erection becoming much too painful to handle. Another pull and he had to force himself to stop; otherwise, this would go too far for a first meeting. It already had gone past look but do not touch, to a sampling, he realized, and he was not impressed with himself for his impatience.

Mard swallowed the delicious nectar in his mouth before he pierced his tongue with his fang. Gently he smeared his own blood over her wounds, letting them seal up without leaving a scar. Very few vampires had this ability, and Mard had always considered himself fortunate that he had it. He reached over for a tissue and dabbed at any missed drops before he stepped away from her.

He let his compulsion magic break from her mind and with a blink she was back to looking scared. "You may dress now," he said letting her know with a smile that he was pleased with her.

Lucy redressed herself with a speed he wished she had for following him in the first and undressing. She grabbed her purse and looked at him, "I'm not sure what to do now."

"Freshen up and take a nap, we will have dinner tonight and I can attempt to answer any questions you may have then. If I find them interesting," Mard said and she nodded.

He sent out the telepathic command for his head butler to come gather Miss Heartfilia.

"Um..." She pursed her lips. "How may I address you, sir?"

This greatly appealed to Mard. She was practically a natural for how he would like to play with her. Though he'd have to figure out how to structure things to work for her limited psychology. Humans were just too sensitive most of the time, but perhaps he could get lucky with her. "Sire, not sir. When I give you an order, you will always regard me in that manner. Understood?"

"Yes, Sire?" her voice was timid as she questioned her own response.

"Very good. Now for other times and when with other people you may use Mard or Mard Geer. I find that when using formalities all the time, it is counterproductive to building a relationship."

She arched a brow. "Build a relationship?"

"Your father did not mention that you are soft in the head, but we are to marry. That constitutes as a relationship." Mard took a sip of his coffee as Jackal opened the door. "We will finish this later,  _puşti_."

She glared at him and Mard was amused by this, her bit of anger was like watching an ant try to intimidate a god. He was certain she had no idea that he had called her a brat in his native language, but only reacting to his tone. Lucy being sensitive to the tone of his voice would make many things all the more appealing for him and his needs.

He looked at his butler, ignoring her fit. "Jackal, escort her to her room, where she can remain till dinner this evening. That is all."

"On it. Come on, sugar tits," the servant said and Mard found himself clearing the room. He grabbed Jackal by the neck and slammed him into the wall.

"You will show more respect. Do you understand me, you miserable fleabag?" Mard said, letting his voice take on a strong measure of venom to make his point. Jackal let out a puppy whine and nodded, Mard noted how his ears went back and his head tilted to bare his neck to him.

Lucy let out a strangled cry and he turned to look at her. She was shaking and turning paler by the moment. In a matter of seconds she began to collapse, and he let go of Jackal to catch her. He held the small girl in his arms, enthralled by how she fit and felt. He took in a deep breath and felt himself relax, no longer wishing to cause bodily harm to his demon servant.

"Um, boss…" Jackal whispered and Mard was too busy watching the peaceful glow of Lucy's face as he held her. His arms tightened as he pressed her into his chest, maybe he could take a nap with her. He was not up for letting her go.

"What?" He sneered.

"She's your true bride isn't she?" the demon asked, and Mard took half a step back as he thought through it.

True brides were the definitive mate for a vampire, the one person they could turn into another vampire and produce natural born vampiric children. If the person was not their true bride, they would become a ghoul and slowly decompose into a mindless stench bag through the years. Mard had tried very few times to see if he had met his true bride and each time was a failure. Though he had never had such a strong reaction to someone's blood or scent as he had with her.

Zeref had said that the effect of meeting your true bride would be akin to having your soul hit with lightning and in this he was not wrong. Mard was never known as a people person and he hated most of them, but despite her faults he had stepped outside his usual self, around her. He would need to spend more time with her to sort it out and if she was his bride, she would feel the pull to him.

"I don't know, I have two weeks to figure it out." Mard said as he stepped through the doorway and carried her to his room. That nap and curling up around her was sounding more and more like a wonderful idea with each step he took.

Jackal ran ahead of him and opened the door to his suite. Mard kept walking and set Lucy in the center of his large ornate bed. Quietly he removed her outer clothing again, choosing to let her stay in her underwear for this.

Mard stripped down to his boxers, erring on the side of caution and not sleeping in the nude as he usually did. Moving onto the bed he pulled back the black bedding and nestled her under the covers. He curled his body against hers, spooning her and enjoying all the skin to skin contact. For the first time in centuries, Mard felt at peace as sleep took him over.

* * *

_How the hell did this happen? I'm glad you asked._

_im ur misconception got me to watch Diabolik Lovers, I took one look at Reiji and saw Mard. Then I couldn't stop thinking about it._

_When I was ready to pass on the idea GemNika worked her magic on my soul and now here we are._

_You may all blame them._

* * *

Though please take a moment to  **comment, kudo, and bookmark**! 


	2. Shower

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

 **A/N:**  I hate putting these at the top but a disclaimer for this story is needed. Mard is a sadist and he will do many things with Lucy that are not necessarily comfortable for many people. The types of sexual dynamics that will be explored here are not safe nor would they be considered in line with the tenets of the BDSM community. This is a piece of pure fiction.

You have been warned!

* * *

"Oh my god!" she shrieked as Mard felt small fists thump into his chest.

He cracked open his eyes and grabbing her hands, he held them against his chest. "It is rude to wake me up this way and I do not tolerate rude,  _puşti._ "

Lucy stilled as her eyes went wide and she nibbled that plump bottom lip of hers. Mard took a moment to catalog what exactly was going on. He was in bed, she was straddling him (enjoyable to say the least), and he had her hands pinned to his chest. There was limited light in the room, so he had napped for a few hours. Despite waking up violently, he had slept well.

"Y-Your heart," she stuttered.

"It does not work, because I am a vampire." He flashed her a smile, showing off his fangs. "Next," Mard said, his patience a bit on short supply.

"Vamp…" Her eyes rolled up into her head and she fell forward, her forehead almost hitting his nose.

Mard was questioning his luck with this woman. She was obviously ill-informed of everything, and weak of constitution. Then it dawned on him, he hadn't told her that until just that second. It was also not the most ideal way to tell this girl what he was. Manners would have said to wait until after dinner, when he could have taken her outside to the garden to talk.

He ran his hand down her back over her beautiful ass and, because he could, he gave it a squeeze. Mard let his hands glide all along her body as she laid in a boneless mess on top of him. The tingling he felt all over from feeling her skin had him more than physically excited, but emotionally as well. That was truly the oddest part of all of this; him and emotions rarely saw eye to eye.

Mard understood desire, that was easy, but this feeling was different and he needed to analyze it. Much of the last few hours needed heavy consideration and reflection. He sympathized with her tears, felt an ache in his chest at them and that almost angered him. Perhaps it was the thing a true bride did for their vampire but he had no frame of reference for it.

His twin brother, Freed, would know since the man was celebrating his fiftieth anniversary with his own bride - and Mard's only childhood friend - Merlin. His twin was the only sibling he could truly engage in eloquent, intelligent conversation with and he could confide in him. They were masters at keeping each other's secrets and covering up each other's mistakes through the last four hundred or so years.

Lucy stirred on top of him. Her hips rolled, bearing her core upon the generous erection he was sporting. She let out a soft moan that broke all of Mard's thoughts. The sexy sound left him wanting to hear more moans, shrieks, and pleas. Though he said he would not violate her purity until the full moon, as per tradition, there were other things he could do without breaking his word.

Sexually tormenting her for two weeks before that night would give him joy. Mard adored torture in all of its forms and was quite skilled at it. It would also be interesting to see just how much his little bride could handle and how easy she would be to train to his preferences. After all, if his suspicions proved true, and she was his true bride, he would be spending centuries with the woman. Best to make them as enjoyable for himself as possible.

He rolled them over, taking her hands and holding them over her head as he nestled between her legs. " _Puşti_ , wake up now. Your Sire has needs," he commanded. There was no reason to be gentle, maybe later but highly unlikely.

Her eyes fluttered for a moment before they opened and he stared straight into them. Those eyes were more than capable of eating his non-existent soul, the perfect color of a good dark roast. He ached as he looked at her, Lucy held every bit of attention he had in his mind and body.

Her mouth opened and he knew she was ready to scream, but he was not in the mood for it. No, Mard was in a mood to indulge, drink, and play with his little brat. He covered her mouth with his own and the effect of their lips touching was instantaneous lightning racing down every cell in his body.

Lucy let out a muffled scream into his mouth, in response he pushed his tongue into her, taking the advantage. Her tongue tried to retreat from him, but that didn't work, and he slid his against hers. The taste, texture, and warmth of her mouth had caused him to press his erection more into her covered womanhood. To his delight her hips had rolled up just the barest fraction of an inch and she whimpered.

She wasn't quite a skilled kisser but not completely inept. Mard was pleased with this, knowing that all of her firsts would be his. Only his. Lucy shook under him as his hips moved, grinding against her, and he wondered for a moment if somehow just this basic grinding and kiss would lead her to her first orgasm.

He broke the kiss and took a sniff of the air. Her arousal was strong and he relished the scent of it. Lucy let out a moan as her head whipped back and forth. "Are you close to your first orgasm? Rubbing against me like a cat in heat." Mard took both her slender wrists into one hand and used the now empty one to push against her hip, pinning it down into the bed so she couldn't move.

Lucy closed her eyes and looked away, her cheeks turning pink in embarrassment. "Answer your Sire and be rewarded."

She shook her head, the little brat was refusing his orders. That simply would not do and she would know it. "Failure comes with a penalty,  _puşti_. Be certain." This was the only warning he would give her. After this moment, all bets were off.

"P-penalty?" she asked and Mard let out a smile.

"Yes, and I excel at my punishments. You will find out soon enough because you  _ask so_   _nicely_ ," he said taking a bit of sarcasm with the last few words.

"N-no, please…"

"Then answer the question. You have three seconds." He started counting down but she said nothing, instead she looked a bit pale and pursed her lips.

At three he used his inhuman speed to change their positions. She was most certainly going to be punished. Mard slid out from under her, grabbed a length of rope from the nightstand drawer next to the bed, and wrapped it around her wrists before securing it to the headboard. He pushed her head into the pillows, as she laid on her stomach, lifting her beautiful ass up in the air, and pulled down her panties. As he suspected, those untouched pink folds were slick with her essence. He wanted a taste of that too, but later. Right now, he had a lesson to teach and being kind, he would only use his hand without claws for it.

Mard spanked her and she called out, the cry of her pain was mesmerizing. He massaged the cheek, worried he might have hit the little human too hard as she started bawling. "I said penalty. Now stop the crying and accept what I give you,  _puşti."_

He waited for a few seconds, enjoying the feeling of her burning flesh under the palm of his hand. Lucy had managed to get herself into a softer sob instead of full out tears. Then he noticed something. It wasn't much, almost undetectable to a mortal. but she tilted her back down and pushed her bottom more into his hand. Mard took another sniff of the air, her arousal was stronger and he arched a brow at that.

"Time is up," he said and she bit the pillow under her. Mard hit the other cheek and she screamed around the fabric.

He was kneeling behind her, both of his hands feeling her abused, trembling flesh. The feel of her playing with every fiber in his being, from his head to his loins and someplace else, something in his chest. Pride, perhaps? Mard didn't know. He knew that he was enjoying this and that his dick could not have gotten any harder and he could feel the precum dripping into his boxers.

Lucy stilled and whimpered. At least she wasn't crying any more. "Now,  _puşti,_ my answer. Were you going to orgasm for me?"

His hands stopped moving as he gripped her, his fingers itched as the claws started to form, digging into her skin. Lucy whined, "Yes…"

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, Sire."

"Ah, such a dirty little harlot, ready to cum for a man you just met. Have you always been such a filthy creature?" he asked, leaning over her and whispering in her ear.

She shook her head and her hips moved down, rubbing against his erection. He could feel the silk in his boxers drink up the liquid and he felt the urge to sate himself. Mard found his hands unconsciously pushing down at his boxers, eager to mount the woman under him. His bared cock teasing wantonly at her entrance and he growled.

"P-Please, no… Y-You…" she muttered to him.

His eyes flew wide. It was unthinkable, what he was about to do. Mard was going to break his word to her. He was going to give into his darkness and take her now. Many things Mard had been called in his life, but a word breaker was not one of them. The breaking of one's word was the only sin he understood.

" _Fecior de curva_ …" He swiped at the rope holding her hands, cutting it and he slid off the bed. "Run," he warned before he turned and moved into his bathroom.

He started a shower, and stood under the shower heads as he snarled under the weight of his own frustration. His hand lashed out and he punched the smooth marble tiled wall. It cracked under his strength, and Mard relished in the pain bloomin in his hand. The pain was helping him. He hit the wall again.

And again.

And again.

Mard let his fury at himself take over his body as he destroyed the wall. How could he have almost done that? He almost broke his word, so close to taking the beautiful withering blonde. He almost sullied his word and honor and for what, because his dick hurt?

Because he wanted her. For all that is unholy, he wanted her. Never in his life had he felt such a craving for someone. The sip of her blood danced on his tongue, her skin he could still feel pressed against his, and the breathless sounds of her pain and almost-pleasure flitted through his ears. He was beyond such things. He was Mard Geer Tartaros, the Definitive Vampire, the King of the Underworld, and he was not so weak to give into flesh.

He dropped to his knees as he watched the blood wash off his knuckles, the crimson mixing with the water as it swirled down the drain. Mard was lost in this moment, and all he could do was try to process this ache in his chest.

He closed his eyes and threw his head back as he roared. It was a sound he'd never made before, anguish he thought they called it. All of it he let out and when he thought he was at the end of it, his mind played its trick on him. He saw himself take the blonde, her screaming in pure terror as he was not kind to her body and her screaming that he'd promised.

Thin arms wrapped around him as a head pressed into his chest. By the smell, it was Lucy. That couldn't be right, he'd told her to run. Why would she be here? Why would she hold him?

Mard opened his eyes and looked down on to the top of a head of wet golden hair. His fists clenched at his sides as he swallowed hard at the unfamiliar contact. Didn't they call this a hug? If he traced back far enough he might recall it, it was something his mother used to do before…

No, he would not recall that moment.

He grabbed her arms and pushed her away, watching as she was sprawled out on the shower floor. Mard didn't want the contact, didn't want the memories, and didn't want her to see him like this. "Leave," he commanded.

Lucy slowly got up, he could see the shaking in her limbs as she came up to her knees. Then something happened, she changed. Her jaw set, shoulders pulled back, her spine straightened and her eyes had hardlined straight into his. She was magical, a defiant goddess, and Mard was even more confused by her.

"No, you need me," she said with a sharp wave of her hand and her words echoing off the walls.

"I do not need a silly human child."

"Enough," she said, her words like a whip. Mard blinked. He hadn't known she was capable of this, and he didn't know why but he was finding it to his liking. "You need me, I can feel your pain." She rubbed a spot on her chest, grimacing as she did it.

Mard swallowed as she walked on her knees back to him and resumed her hug. He swayed under her touch, the feeling he got from her skin changing into something soft. A little human had brought the great Mard Geer to heel; he wasn't certain if he liked this.

The vampire tried again, pushing her off of him and again she glared at him and came right back. This time he felt more of his anger washing away as she touched him. He felt more in control of himself, but he pushed her away again.

This time she looked at him, he saw something more than just her anger. Her eyes softened, half-lidded as she carried a smile on her face that he didn't recognize. This time, she pulled off her shirt, tossing the wet material behind her before she slipped out of her skirt and came back to him in her wet undergarments.

More of her skin had him all but purring at her touch. All the anger and pain drained out of him and this time when he touched her, Mard held her tightly to him. Hugged her back as it were and in that moment, a monumental event happened to Mard Geer. He shed a single tear.

"I hurt you and you came to rescue me," he eventually whispered to her.

Lucy let out a light laugh as she looked up at him. She brushed his bangs out of his face and gently touched his cheek, "You act as if I didn't enjoy being spanked."

Mard read her eyes and he could tell she was being honest. That earned her and him a reward as he kissed her, this time to just enjoy it and he remembered to be tender.

* * *

His lips upon hers and all Lucy could do, besides enjoy it, was think about what the hell had just happened to her.

When Lucy had woken up she'd found her face buried into the crook of the neck of someone. Strong arms had wrapped around her as her legs were tangled with his. She was also in only her underwear and by the feel of the man curled with her he was in the same position. Slowly she pulled out of his grasp and sat up to look at him.

Mard Geer was out of this world handsome, even as he slept. Lucy licked her bottom lip as she looked at his sculpted torso, following the lines of his muscles to the top of his boxers where a rather large erection bulge in them. She tilted her head, he didn't look like he was breathing and she felt for his pulse but there was none.

Was he dead?

She had screamed and thumped his chest and that was when everything went sideways in a hurry. Mard said he was a vampire and she couldn't believe it. Her mind had a hard time processing that ,but when he had flashed his fangs the world spun and she'd blacked out.

Mard had taken her first kiss and his body rocking against hers had sent her libido into orbit. Every nerve ending in her was on fire and she thought she may never recover from the burn of him. Liquid heat had pooled low in her gut and she knew she was close to her first orgasm with a man, well any person. She'd known the feeling for years, after all lonely girls do have working fingers.

Then he had taken complete control over her and it was a surprise to Lucy that she liked it. The way the rope wrapped around her wrists and bit into her skin causing a pit of pain. Mard's dark, commanding voice as he ordered her to tell him what he wanted know. The first spank he gave her had Lucy lost in a sea of mixing emotions: fear, pain, confusion, lust, and a bit of joy. The physical side of the spank had hurt on a new level, she'd never been hit that hard and she couldn't help but cry at the physical damage done to her ass. If she thought about it for a moment, and she did, he was a fucking vampire and he forgot his own strength. Another thing about Mard that was making her nervous.

The whole time there was this buzzing going on inside of her that she couldn't ignore. It was like she could feel a type of happiness from him as he toyed with her, but more importantly she could feel her own. Someone was paying attention to her, culling the little brat inside of her, and treating her to a new experience beyond her own fantasies. Lucy was in a whole new world, and she liked it more than she could fully articulate.

Mard Geer had gone over the line and though Lucy would have loved to be fucked, he'd said he wouldn't touch her and he didn't have her permission. Lucy didn't care if he thought he owned her, or if she relished him being in charge, he was going to rape her, and that she had a hard limit on. As quickly as it all began he freed her and took off, leaving her alone and scared.

Lucy had dressed and went for the bedroom door when she realized that she had nowhere to go. She couldn't call the Heartfilia Estate, and Capricorn had warned her that every asset would be used to find her and bring her back. It was a no-win situation but maybe she could hide on the other side of this massive castle for a few hours, until he calmed down.

Then the pain blossomed in her chest and she dropped to her knees as Mard let out a roar that had the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. That roar filled her entire being with angst and loathing, almost crippling her on the spot, she hadn't felt something so powerful since her mother had died. A whisper in her mind told her to go comfort him, that he would tear himself apart without her, and to not fear him. Lucy didn't know where that whisper came from, but it reminded her of her mother's voice and she grappled her courage to go to Mard.

Lucy grew up in extravagance, but Mard Geer's home was the very definition of opulence and the bathroom she walked into was just another example. The entire room was in pristine white marble with light fissures of grey running through it. One wall was covered in windows letting in limited sunlight as illuminated braziers filled the room with a soft glow. The center held a sunken in round bathtub surrounded by four beautiful columns with rose vines sculpted onto them. To the side she saw a small water closet and across the room was a large enclosed glass shower room. Mard was under the shower on his knees, pain etched in his face as his body held tense under the cascading water. Lucy saw the blood and broken tiled wall, it gave her a pause but she pulled her shoulders back and went forward.

She kicked off her shoes and walked to the shower, not caring about her clothing getting wet. The pain in her chest needed to be dealt with, and the closer she got to him the more she could feel it. All she knew was it was up to her to hold him and help him handle the pain he was feeling. It was a strange compulsion that she wasn't certain if she could stop, and one she had certainly never felt before.

He tried to push her away, but Mard Geer had no idea the kind of stubborn person she really was. When someone needed help, she was there and whether his beautiful naked self appreciated it or not, she was going to do it. Lucy with a made up mind was a dangerous thing, and her conviction into helping him only brought out that side of her.

Yes, she had defied him and talked back to him, leaving both of them a bit confused and relieved for that. It hurt when he shoved her away but not physically, emotionally because it left a mark of absolute cold running through her veins. Lucy would not give up and for her final attempt, she tried more skin to skin contact but not being naked, as far as she could figure neither of them needed that temptation again.

Although, dear goddess above, the man was stunning naked as water poured over him. She knew she was easily aroused to see him like this, he was the first naked person she'd seen in person and what a view it was. Lucy fought with her own hormones to keep this as gentle as possible, to soothe the vampire back into being a man.

Third time had been the charm and now here she was being kissed again. Compared to the first rough, dominating kiss, this one was almost tender, still strong and controlling but not the same way. It probably also helped that she wasn't screaming this time and let her body relax against his.

The pain, confusion, and loathing had melted away as he cradled the back of her head and pressed her body against his. The kiss had soothed everything she felt and somehow she knew it worked for him as he held her. Lucy didn't know how or why she had this sudden connection to this vampire, but she did and she was just as confused by it as her own reactions to this entire day.

Now, he pulled back from her, breaking their kiss and bringing her mind more into the present. Mard picked her up and put her on her feet, his black eyes not leaving her. Lucy shivered under his gaze and tried to hold herself still, she felt like prey and perhaps being human before a vampire that's exactly what she is.

"If you insist on being here, you will wash your Sire," he said and Lucy knew it wasn't a suggestion but a command. Failure at obeying an order lead to penalty, as she'd recently discovered, and she wasn't certain if she wanted another penalty. Her ass hurt unbelievably.

Her hands trembled at the thought of touching him all over and heat flushed over her cheeks. Lucy swallowed her feelings and looked around for bathing supplies. She found the built-in multi-tiered shelf organized by product. Holy shit, the man had a serious amount of hair care products.

Lucy took a washcloth and a bar of what smelt like fresh rose soap, then set to gathering a lather. Mard let out a small cough and his gaze went up and down her body before resting on her eyes again. She got the hint and, setting the wash cloth on her shoulder and the soap back on the shelf, she removed the last of her clothing and tossed it towards the others on the floor.

It was faint but Lucy heard him sigh as he looked at her, naked, the second time in just a few hours. Though she was in the shower with him and after a fashion it was only proper to be undressed for bathing.

She stood before Mard again and looked into his eyes. There was a pleased smile on his face and she could feel his pleasure wrapping all over her body. Dear Goddess, that was a feeling she was enjoying. It was warm, comforting, and felt like everything she believed that home should feel like. Lucy discovered very quickly that she liked a pleased a Mard Geer and if whatever was passing between them was a trait of his vampiric nature, she was okay with feeling all of this.

Lucy started at his neck, wiping gently at his porcelain skin while watching as the bubbles slid down the planes of his stomach. Mard's eyes never left hers as she let her cloth work down one arm before coming up one side of his waist. It was a slow process, and she was absorbed in the erotic feeling of all of it. Her eyes fought to stay open and she lost herself in the process of tending to him.

Mard shook as she washed around his dick. Lucy smiled as she watched it harden at her touch, and he let out a moan. She tried to wrap the washcloth around it to wash it, but he grabbed her hand and whispered, "No." He took the cloth out of her hand, threw it behind him, and placed her palm directly over him. "Skin only, I need your hands."

Lucy nibbled her bottom lip and nodded in understanding as she touched him. Her fingers couldn't even touch as she curled them around the base. She had no idea men came in that length or that dicks had a slight curve towards their abdomen. Mard let out a growl as she lightly pulled her hand towards her body feeling the soft skin, thick vein, and muscle as hard as stone.

Mard pushed her into the wall and settled a powerful thigh between her legs, rubbing against her sensitive womanhood. Lucy shuddered from the contact and looked up at him.

"I will teach you," he said before overlaying his hand on top of hers, wrapped around his cock.

Mard guided her hand, putting pressure for her to tighten her grip, twist a bit as she got the head and rub her palm against the tip before moving back down. He repeated this a few times before his hand removed from hers and moved to settle on her hip. Lucy watched her hand as it moved over him and was fascinated by the experience, seeing her give pleasure - at least she believed she was - was new and exciting for her.

"Faster, little harder…" he said and Lucy complied when he leaned down to kiss her again. His tongue entered her mouth and Lucy moaned at the feeling of him.

Her hips tried to move, but he held her still as his knee raised a little, putting more pressure between her legs. "Hold my balls with your other hand…" She placed her hand under them, feeling their weight. "There…. Like that," he breathed, his accent thickening the tiniest amount.

Lucy stroked and fondled him, losing all rational thought as she felt the power of her sexuality over Mard and herself.

"Beautiful," he said as he kissed her again. His hips started moving with her hand, pushing more of himself against her. His grip on her hip released, and Lucy found her body moving in time, rubbing against his thigh.

She let out a moan as her clit hit his skin at just the right angle and pressure. Now she wanted to cum and make him cum too. She wanted to feel that excitement of pleasure all over her body. Lucy could feel him swell a bit in her hand as he said things to her in another language, she had no idea what they were but they were delicious sounding.

" _Tu mă sperii_.." His voice was on edge as he moved his hips. Whatever that meant, she didn't care. Lucy was so close, so close to her own release.

" _Asta e_ ….Lucy.. _.asta e_...  _simte-ma_ ," he grunted. His body tensed before Lucy felt the pulsing of his cock in her hand. She watched with fascination as streams of cum shot out of him and all over her stomach and the underside of her breasts. Lucy bit her lip as she tried to not scream, her orgasm right there, two more seconds.

Mard pulled back and Lucy was left breathing hard. Her hand went between her legs, determined to finish what he had started. As soon as she touched herself, Mard took her hands and held them over her head, pinning her to the wall.

"You've pleased me. You deserve my kindness," he said and Lucy's eyes widened.

He let go of her, and ran his hands down her waist as he slowly dropped to his knees before her. Lucy wasn't certain what was going on, but when she felt her leg being lifted over his shoulder she found air in short supply.

"Hmm, this is one of my most favorite spots to drink from," he said. Lucy closed her eyes as his tongue licked her sensitive flesh. Her head thudded against the tile as her hips tilted to press herself more against that demonic muscle.

Lucy had read once in a trashy romance novel about how wonderful it was to be eaten out, but this was beyond her wildest dreams. His lips pressed against her clit as he suckled, and she let out a keening cry of ecstasy. Liquid fire raced through her veins as she felt like she was blown apart and sent off into orbit.

She had never peaked that fast and she wouldn't even know if she could have stopped it. She was too worked up and seeing his mane of wet purple hair between her legs was sexy. Mard hummed as he gently lapped at her, his head moved back a little and he stared up at her.

"Enjoyable,  _puşti_. You will submit to my need to taste you often, any time and without hesitation," he said nonchalantly and Lucy was shocked.

"A-any time?" she asked and he nodded. The wicked gleam in his eyes said that could include in front of other people and dear goddess she hoped not.

"Failure to give your Sire this gift, results in penalty," he said and for a moment she noticed how he nuzzled her inner thigh with his cheek.

"Yes, Sire," she said, knowing what a penalty would mean.

"Need something to wash down that exquisite taste of you. Don't move, it will only hurt."

Lucy wasn't certain what he was talking about until his mouth opened and she felt the white hot burn of fangs piercing her inner thigh. She grabbed his hair and pulled, and he groaned as he took a deep pull of her blood. All that pain transmuted into pleasure and Lucy found her fingers wanting to play with herself again.

She barely had to touch herself before she cried out, and Mard took another greedy drink of her blood. He purred as he drank from her and Lucy played with herself, only to feel her fingers being flicked away as Mard felt her.

He let go of her for a moment. "No, I grant you pleasure, you do not take for yourself." Lucy swallowed hard and put her hands behind her, using her butt to hold them to the wall. Mard looked pleased and resumed his feeding, this time teasing her clit with his finger as he drank.

"Oh god…  _fuck_ …" She moaned as she fought to hold still and not move her hips to feel his fingers upon her more.

Right there for a second time Lucy was ready to orgasm all over his fingers, but Mard stopped. She felt him lick her thigh before he rose to standing and he licked his bloodstained lips. Lucy wasn't certain if she should be feeling freaked out that she was just a vampire's meal. It wasn't like she'd ever read a book on "So a Vampire Bought You, Now What?"

"That is enough for now. Now my hair needs washing and you should most likely have some dinner," he said.

Lucy was a mixture of emotions. Mostly she was upset at being denied. She'd been a good girl. Why couldn't she have that second orgasm?  _Demanding jackass!_

"Demanding jackass? How dare you,  _puşti_."

Lucy put her hands over her mouth, she just did not say that out loud. She found herself over his knee as he sat on the steam bench.

"Five syllables of insult equals five spanks. You will not insult me again. Count them," Mard said his voice filled with darkness but he wasn't angry.

She could feel a mixture of elements in this moments. A bit of joy, desire, control and a bit of pain. Lucy didn't mean to say something out loud, and she had no idea he was that sensitive to her insulting him.

The loud sound of his hand against her ass filled the room, she cried out for a moment before sucking in lungfuls of air. "One, Sire." Mard massaged her for a moment before the next slap to her skin. "Two, Sire," she said, biting her lip and shaking in pain as adrenaline started flooding into her body. Lucy started to feel a little high at the third spanking and she almost started giggling.

"Four, Sire," she said with a light laugh as her brain was officially shot and the endorphins now working overtime.

Mard spanked her again and this time she felt her flesh tear but she just couldn't bring herself to care as she called out the number.

Mard sat her up and she straddled his lap as he lightly handled her ass, soothing the inflamation. "Why are you laughing?"

"I'm high or something. Oh god." Lucy started laughing again as she saw how monumentally confused he was. Though she was just as confused by her reaction to this, her ass hurt and she was laughing at the sadist who did it. Death wish, she may have one.

He ran his fingers between her legs and she squirmed as they touched her overly sensitive flesh. Mard popped them in his mouth and tasted her for a moment. "You came from that? I said you were not allowed to."

"No," she giggled, "you didn't. You wouldn't let me cum when you fed from me, but you didn't say I couldn't cum when you spanked me." Lucy watched his jaw set and his eyes burned in anger.

" _Fată deșteaptă_ ," he mumbled before he smiled at her and that bubbly feeling of his pleasure wrapped around her.

"What?" She blinked, having no idea what language he was speaking.

"Clever girl, you are correct and I have learned several new things about you," Mard said.

"Good things?"

"Things I plan to use against you. Good for me, but we will see if they are good for you," he said with a sardonic smile on his face and Lucy gulped.

* * *

Jackal peer around the doorway, watched the entire scene in the shower, and he smiled. The demon had never seen his master look so "happy" with someone. He'd even complimented her and Mard complimented no one. Ever.

Quietly Jackal left the room and pulled out his cellphone to make a call. As he paced in the hallway, he saw Gajeel walk by him. The iron demon half-dragon gave him a nod. Jackal was okay with the guy, he was quiet, and just didn't seem like he was ever happy.

" _Jackal_ , update," Zeref said in his usual clipped tone.

"I think your son found his true bride. He complimented her, defended her and he even smiled."

"Excellent! Make sure Mard does not fuck this up. I want thirty grandbabies from this." Jackal could hear the smile on Zeref's face. For the scary as fuck Vampire King and ruler of Hell, the guy loved him some grandkids.

"On it, sir!"

"I trust you Jackal. Take care and send me pictures of the lucky girl when possible."

"Yes, sir." Zeref disconnected the call, and he bounced around in the hallway for a moment.

"Yo, what the shit, dog breath?" Cobra asked and Jackal turned to look up at the poison demon. Cobra was quite a few inches taller than him with caramel skin, maroon and silver hair, one eye and freaking elf ears. The guy was an asshole but loyal as fuck and one hell of a pool player. Jackal had lost lots of cash to him, but he'd also learned a lot about the game.

Jackal grinned at him. "Mard Geer has a bride and we gotta help make sure he doesn't fuck it up."

The poison demon arched a brow, "'Bout fucking time." They high fived as Jackal started rambling about how they could prep a really nice meal and maybe get Mard and his bride into the garden for a moonlight dance.

* * *

As Jackal and Cobra schemed a text message was being sent out.

_To Blackie: Mard Geer has a bride_

_From Blackie: Excellent, watch and wait for further instructions_

_To Blackie: Yes father_

* * *

Translations:

 _Fecior de curva_  = son of a bitch

 _Tu mă sperii_  = you scald me

 _Fată deșteaptă_  = clever girl

 _asta e_ ….Lucy... _asta e_...  _simte-ma_ … = that's it….Lucy…..that's it…. feel me

 _Puşti_  = brat

* * *

 

**Comment! Kudo! Bookmark! Give GemNika kisses for her editing and mad voodoo love charms that keeps me chained to my desk and writing.**


	3. Broken

I don't own Fairy Tail, though I take great pride in making this little story.

* * *

Jackal had no idea how he caused the small explosion in the kitchen as he and Cobra worked on dinner. He hadn't used one of his curses - Mard would end his life if he blew up his home on purpose - he didn't smell high levels of gas, and he was certain he was just adding in some pepper from the little old can.

"You moron, black powder is gun powder not pepper," Cobra said as he whipped him upside the head with a towel. "How the fuck did this even get in here?"

Jackal tilted his head, scratched behind his ear for a moment and then he remembered. "Oh that's right, I found it in the shed and it smelt tasty. I added it to mustard for the leftover Mititei, Mard made from that reporter who tried to sneak in here."

"Fuck, that was a good day." Cobra had a small bit of drool hanging from the corner of his mouth. "Love it when the boss cooks."

"I know, he's got such a talent for cooking human." It wasn't known outside of the staff and family, but Mard Geer was a culinary genius. He cooked for every major holiday, the once a month family party, to dispose of a body, when stressed, and for anyone's birthday he would make their favorite meal. Jackal didn't understand where the cooking passion came from, but he heard Zeref mention once that Mard's mother was quite the chef, figured one of the twins had to have the talent.

"Remember when he made Drob with lawyer, I thought it was going to be greasy as fuck."

"You know what we need?" Jackal asked.

Cobra grinned as he rubbed his hands together. " _Sweeney Todd_  Soundtrack?"

"I'll clean this, you get the music streaming," he said as he opened up the windows to let the smoke clear out before he'd start scrubbing away. Jackal didn't like cleaning, but he did make the mess and it was house rule: you fuck it up, you fix it. Many days, Jackal did a lot of fixing. How the fuck he was still alive for as often as he pissed off Mard, was a testament to his ability to be loveable at the right occasion.

Mard Geer had raised him since he was a demon pup, and he was the baby around here at only a paltry seventy-six years old. Jackal's main role in the household was considered the Head Butler, meaning he handled guests and prepared spaces for meetings and parties, because he was deemed "the cute one." He also was one of the elites for Tartaros Mercenaries due to his explosion magic. Jackal got the prestige of being the top rated demolitionist in Fiore.

"So make sure you pull a recipe off of one of the human websites, not one of the demonweb ones," Cobra added.

Jackal's eyes went wide as he mouthed, "Oh." He rubbed the back of his neck and grinned. He wasn't used to helping out in the kitchen, and had never cooked for a human before. Silver was the day-to-day chef but he was out of town till tomorrow, leaving tonight's meal up to the demons in the kitchen. Thank the Unholy Trinity that Cobra was competent in the kitchen, but the guy usually handled baking not cooking. Not that Jackal understood the difference but it mattered to Silver and Cobra.

The demon was heading for the courtyard to offer the ruined blood soup to the roses when Cobra grabbed his arm. "Where the fuck you going with that?"

"Feed the roses," Jackal said. "They love blood."

"When was the last time they ate? If you over feed his roses, you can kill all know Mard treats you like the fucking baby, but he will skin you alive if you hurt his precious," Cobra said, his single eye boring into Jackal.

"So maybe dump it on the compost pile and hope for the best?"

The poison demon flicked him in the forehead and Jackal grumbled,. "See? That brain of yours does work. Though pay attention while you're out there. If the blooms follow you as you move, they're hungry and it's okay to give them a little."

"Okay," Jackal said with a toothy grin as he headed outside.

He walked along the cobblestone path, watching the rose bushes as he moved. So far none of them were moving. Jackal loved the smell of them. The roses Mard bred had a light fragrance that wasn't feminine and kind of reminded him of blood. Go figure a vampire would breed blood-eating and -smelling roses, but Jackal reckoned that some of that was because Mard's curse power was Thorns. The scariest fucker on the planet, after Zeref, was into roses, cooking and do not forget that vampire's coffee; not exactly hallmarks of badass.

Jackal took one last glance around, noticing that the roses still hadn't moved and continued to the gardening shed. Precisely, he went behind the gardening shed to the compost pile and, holding his breath, he added the explosive soup to it. His brows shot up when he saw the soup start dissolving the compost, and he was really fucking grateful that Cobra stopped him. If the roses reacted like that, Jackal wouldn't have time to plan his own funeral.

He made his way back to the kitchen where Cobra had polished the stainless steel stove and the music was going. "That was my job, it's the rule."

"Well, I wanted a fucking drink and since the cleaner was out, took all of two minutes to polish the stove back up. Chill man, it's cool," he said, slinging the towel over his shoulder.

"Okay, so cooking for a human and the boss... Thoughts?" Jackal asked as he ran a hand through his hair and dumped the empty pot into the sink filled with soapy water.

"Probably wouldn't try our hand at traditional dishes. How about Italian? It's easy enough for you to manage, dog breath."

"Okay," the demon huffed, "well let's get dinner going so the boss can woo his little bride." His goal tonight was to find the right moment to get a picture of the two of them to send to Zeref. Finally, after all these years of trying to help Mard find and keep a woman, Jackal had a fantastic feeling in his gut that sugar tits was going to be the one.

* * *

"I thought you cut me with that last spank," Lucy said as she admired her perfectly intact and unbruised ass in the full length mirror. She'd felt physically perfectly fine, no lingering markings or twinges of pain from the activities in the shower.

It caught her a little off guard that after she finished washing Mard's hair he tended to her in a way that was saccharine sweet, by comparison to his rougher treatment. He cleansed, touched and soothed every bit of her body as he mumbled things in his language. Lucy didn't know what he said but his voice was akin to soft silk wrapping around her while lying amongst the clouds.

"My blood has healing properties, so whatever I do for damage, I can fix." Mard circled his arms around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "I can do a lot of damage to this little body." Lucy shivered from his words and the delicious glint in his eyes as he said it.

Lucy looked at the reflection of the two of them, surprised as fuck that she could even see him. She had a shit ton of questions about him being a vampire, such as would he make her one?

"I will answer various questions tonight over dinner."

"Are you reading my mind?" she asked, because how the fuck did he know what to say? Also that meant when she called him a jackass earlier that she hadn't said it out loud, because she had forgotten to keep mean thoughts to herself before, so he may have pulled it from her.

Mard put his nose against her shoulder before biting it with enough pressure to cause a yip but not hurt. "It is not dinner, I do not have to answer." Lucy fumed and stamped her foot down. Mard rose to his full height and in a blink, he spun her around to glare into her eyes. "Is that a proper response when your Sire denies you,  _puşti?_ "

She sucked in a breath with surprise etched all over her face before she looked down and away from him in her embarrassment for the childish outburst. "No, Sire," Lucy murmured as her cheeks turned red.

"Correct answer. I appreciate the fact you are a quick learner," Mard said with a hint of a upward turn in his lips. His delight at her smoothed itself all over her skin as Lucy felt warmth crawl into her. "As a reward, I will answer one question now."

Lucy pursed her lips, trying to sort out what was the most pressing question for her to ask. What did she want to know that might make things a little easier for her for the rest of the night? There were so many of them stuffing themselves into her head like sardines, which created a very awkward mental image of dead-eyed mini fish filling her skull.

"I do not like being kept waiting," he said.

"I don't want to ask a stupid fucking question,  _Sire_ ," she said with a bit more annoyance and sarcasm than was polite.

Mard let out a dangerous chuckle, and Lucy found herself taking timid steps back from him. Her flight or fight response kicked in and she easily gravitated toward flight. He flashed her a smile showing off his fangs as his eyes shimmered with a glaze of red over them. Lucy gulped and started to run, not caring if she was naked as a jaybird.

She made it three miserable steps before Mard picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. If there was one complaint on her list of many, it was the fact that she was so tiny men found it way too easy for her to be picked up like a rag doll. She was not going to take this lightly, sure her tone wasn't the most pleasant but he didn't have to rush her. Didn't he understand that to do things properly requires careful consideration and planning?

She started to squirm, her smaller hands slapping against his back and her legs flailing. He held her tighter for a second before he set her down on a a large wooden surface in the master bedroom. Lucy tried to put her hands up and push him away but he wouldn't budge. Mard was as seemingly unfazed by her as an elephant would be by a mosquito.

The vampire took her hands and forced them down into her lap as his hips wedged between her legs. Lucy looked down and around, trying to see what the fuck she was sitting on and if there was anything she could use. The surface was predominantly clear with the exception of a stationary set and a large black feather quill. She felt something glide up her leg before wrapping around it and forcing it to the side. As she glanced down she saw a green vine with small rosebuds and thorns work it's way around her wrists, securing them together before it moved down her other leg.

"M-magic?" she stuttered, feeling little pricks of thorns dance along her skin.  _Of course there's magic, he's a vampire_. Her world was getting stranger by the moment.

"Ah, there is your question. Yes, this is part of my magic," Mard said as he stepped back from her for a second.

Lucy was anchored to the desk her legs opened and hands forced against her stomach. She was fiercely embarrassed that Mard was staring at her most intimate areas. It was one thing when he was licking or fondling her, but just staring had a jarring effect on her comfort level.

"Why are you embarrassed, it stinks," he said as he walked to his closet. Lucy was grateful he wasn't staring at her anymore and let out a sigh of relief.

"Cause you shouldn't be looking at a teenage girl's privates!" She shot back and tried to squirm a little to loosen the vines. Instead they wrapped tighter around her and she could see little dots of blood come out from where the thorns pressed into her skin.

Mard came out of the closet wearing a pair of black dress pants, still shirtless and holding a thick black leather belt. He held the ends, pushed his hand together so it formed a rounded shape before he snapped them apart creating a loud crack that made Lucy jump. The vine cut into her and she gave a small whimper at the sudden, temporary pain. Her skin started to warm up as the pain washed over her, exciting her thoughts.

"Are you saying I have no right to stare at any body part of my bride that I wish,  _puşti_?" he asked, his voice low and terrifying.

"Um, n-no, S-Sire," she stuttered as he took another step closer to her.

"So then, what is the problem?"

"It's j-just…" she trailed off knowing that by now she had to look like a tomato, complete with a vine.

"I am your first in all things," he opined and Lucy nodded as if she was convulsing. Mard ran the soft leather belt down the valley between her breasts. "Did you ever picture your first male to be someone like me?"

Lucy shook her head and she felt the belt press under her chin.

"Words,  _puşti_."

"N-no," she squeaked.

Mard stepped back and pulled over a black leather desk chair, he took a seat and crossing his ankle over his knee he looked at her. His face made him look bored but the feelings she was getting from him was that he was excited and pleasured by this.

"Tell me,  _puşti_ , what sort of man did you picture all your firsts with?" he asked as he rested the belt in his lap and slowly moved his fingertips over the black leather.

She had spent many nights dreaming of the kind of man she would meet in college. The late night stargazing or heated debates over singularities, before he would kiss her and tell her how smart she is. Her dream boyfriend and she longed to meet him or, more aptly, any man who would take an interest in her as a person.

Lucy nibbled her lip and looked down briefly before she closed her eyes,. "A kind man. Someone who looks at me as if I'm the most valued thing in his world. He's handsome, my age, smart, and always there when I need him."

"How does he fuck you?" Mard asked and Lucy felt his words more like a punch to her head.

"H-he makes love to me. He's gentle and sweet, like a romance movie," she said, trying to not look at him.

The vines tightened and she let out a shriek as she could feel her blood trailing down her skin. Pain radiated all over her and so much of it started to feel good, started to feel like a bit of heaven, like when he bit her. Lava pooled low in her belly, as her eyes fluttered and her head lolled back, it was intense and she rode the phantom feeling for all its worth.

"Does that excite you?" The vines pulled tighter. "All gentle kisses from a made-up boy?" he asked as the feeling of his desire rammed into every piece of her lust-addled body. She could feel the small puddle form under her bottom as her clit pulsed in release.

Lucy took in a breath, trying to breathe through the pain and erotic tingling of her skin being cut apart. "Y-Yes."

"Liar," he snarled and Lucy opened her eye to look at him. Mard's elegant face was twisted in a positively sinister fashion; he was quite angry at her answer. "You just came all over my desk from the thorns, and you have the gall to tell me that tenderness excites you?"

"I-I…" Lucy felt a tear roll down her cheek. "I don't know what you are doing to me!" she roared, her voice so loud it almost hurt her throat for an instant. She really didn't understand what was going on when she was with this vampire.

Everything was so sudden and she'd just come from a life where things barely moved. Where she barely experienced a fraction of the life that the heroines of her favorite books did. Lucy was, for all intents and purposes, a little princess locked away in a tower and waiting to one day be free. She never left the estate after her mother died, all her learning brought to her by tutors who worked with her ten hours a day.

Alone, Lucy had felt so alone and barely loved for the last six years that she only had stories to give her hope. The servants had tried to be her friends and she loved them for being there but it wasn't the same as having real friends. Not when your father was paying them and constantly monitoring them.

She had missed out on all the typical teenage things. A school dance, first kiss, first boyfriend, going to classes and hanging out at a mall. None of it had been available for her, and each year she felt as if she was dying a bit more. So Lucy imagined all those wonderful things. She'd even her made up dream boyfriend, and she was certain that was exactly what she wanted.

It was her main tutor, Aquarius - that bitch who perhaps loved her just a little - who had handed her the scholarship offer letter from the Fiore Academy of Science. It was the one point when the woman showed she cared and wanted Lucy to be free and pursue her passions. The stars and science had always called to Lucy because her mom used to take her stargazing at night. Nighttime under the sea of heaven's light was her favorite time and she wanted to work and play amongst them.

Her head was now pressed into smooth skin, as violent sobs wracked her body. She felt the vines give way on her as she leaked tears and snot. Mard's hands ran all over her back as little kisses dotted the top of her head.

"Shh,  _puşti_ ," he whispered, the baritone voice filtering through her frayed nerves. She couldn't want the pain mingled with pleasure he gives her? Was he right? Maybe she didn't know herself. What if her dreams were wrong?

Lucy cried harder, hiccuping as she struggled for air. Her entire soul felt ripped opened. Mard just held her and skimmed his hands all over her skin, leaving little waves of goosebumps all over her.

After a stupidly long period of time, she felt as if she had no more tears, that she was a dried up husk of Lucy. She also didn't think she had any answers, just more questions about what she wants and who she is.

One thing she did know was that her butt hurt from sitting on the hard surface but she noticed that Mard didn't move, he just held her. She lifted her head and looked up at him. His eyes were softer somehow.

"Better?" he asked and she could see his worry in his pinched brows.

She nodded. "Thank you, Sire."

"Lucy, the things I do to you are for the both of us. I am over four hundred years old and have met countless playmates through my years." Lucy cringed at that. He tilted her chin up so she could look into his coal black eyes. "But you're the first I want to reforge into something more beautiful than when I first met her," Mard said, and she believed him.

Everything screamed inside her head to believe him.

* * *

He saw it all flash through her head as she broke and cried on him. The emotions and glimpses of memories so powerful it almost paralyzed him. Mard hadn't known that one tiny, little, young human could hold in such strong feelings. Not that he actually bothered to study humans too in depth, but after so long of dealing with them, he understood all that he cared to about them.

It was troubling to watch the memory of her mother dying. Lucy was lucky in that she went peacefully. Life was not as kind to Mavis, his  _mamă_.

He and Freed had found her murdered in her bed, head severed and put on a pike while her body was desecrated. Even the young daughter she had in her womb had been carved out and diced into tiny pieces. It wasn't his pain he remembered most Mard remembered how his proud father fell to his knees and roared loud enough that Mard's young eardrums had ruptured.

After her death, Zeref did the same thing as Jude he locked himself away, and for years nothing they did was good enough. Then one day, Zeref snapped out of it and became their father again. Despite the loss of their father, he'd had Freed and they went to a private academy where Mard had a friend in the library club. Merlin was a strange little mage girl who talked him and had forced Mard to laugh many times. He'd had a friend, freedom, and his twin; it wasn't much but he'd certainly had more in his life than she did.

Lucy had scared servants, no outside friends, trashy books, movies, and tutors who only cared about training her to be a product her father could sell.

No wonder she was so clueless about herself. She was socially stunted and denied the ability to live like a normal child during the formative years. Mard could see what was happening. He was the more than just a first for sexual play, but the first to take time for her. It would explain her inner masochist, when he inflicted pain on her it was her brain enjoying it because he was giving her something to feel.

To feel anything was bliss was for someone like her.

It also told him what to never do with his bride: deprivation and isolation. If he were to abandon her or withhold anything of himself whether good or ill, it would devastate her psyche in the solitude. It would kill her if he tried that from of torture on, her and he most certainly didn't want that. Though he couldn't always be with her, as he had many responsibilities, he had one servant he could count on to understand.

That was it, he was going to give his bride Cobra. The one-eyed poison demon would be a good match for her, and with him being much more level-headed than Jackal, Cobra could guide her growth if Mard was unavailable. Though he suspected that Lucy and the demon pup would become great friends, a personal butler for her needed to be more than just a friend.

She let out a soft whimper, forcing Mard to focus on her, and not his thoughts. "Lucy, I need to heal you. It will be easy for you to take a few drops of my blood. It will not make you a vampire," Mard said.

She scrunched up her nose and Mard rolled his eyes as he pricked his finger against a fang. He added a bit of pressure to cause the blood to bubble up. "Open," Mard said as Lucy's nostrils flared out and she looked disgusted. "Do you want scars all over you?"

She shook her head and he could tell she was reluctant as she opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue. Mard tapped his blood on the pink protruding muscle and watched as she flinched. Lucy swallowed hard and had a sour look to her beautiful face. "Yuck, so nasty."

"Excuse me?" Mard asked, completely offended by her distaste of him. "Do you have any idea how much people would pay to have that?" The foolish girl had to have no idea that a drop of vampire blood with healing powers as strong as his went for a million Jewel on the black market. If she did, then she would respect the gift and the fact he'd literally given her millions by now from his repair work.

"I'm sure for you, blood is a normal thing, but not me," she shrugged. Mard hadn't considered the idea that it was just a human issue with ingesting blood. Humans were offended by anything different, he surmised.

"Have you ever eaten a rare steak?" he asked, knowing he was going to get her on this.

"Yes, anything above rare is a waste of meat."

Mard held up a finger. "One, that is sexy you just said that because it is exactly how I feel about steak." He extended a second finger. "Two, you know meat is loaded with blood."

"That doesn't mean I think about it when I eat it. And it's not human," Lucy quipped and Mard pinched his forehead.

"Do you actually think about anything?" he questioned, rolling his eyes.

"All the time, but you know that cause you won't get out of my head."

"Not true, I am currently not in your head," Mard said and his hands flew up to his mouth as Lucy smirked at him. She got her telepathy question answered outside of his rules. Mard bristled at the situation.

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Thank you, Sire."

"Oh, I should…" He stepped away from the desk, letting out a violent string of curse words under his breath. He'd been duped into answering a question that he wanted to avoid answering. Lucy was proving to be more cunning than he thought and he would need to be more careful around her. It was quite sexy, after a fashion, and he should appreciate that quality in his bride.

Mard made the mistake of looking back at her, seeing her hop off the desk still gloating like the fucking cat that ate the canary. Then again, he was capable of long term gloating when it suited him.

"Where are you going?"

"Have to pee and clean up," she said and kept walking. Mard wasn't going to stop her because he didn't want to deal with that mess in his bedroom. Even a vampire has limits and with enhanced senses certain bodily fluids - depending on the health of the creature - could be unworldly foul.

While she attended to herself, Mard extended his telepathy.  _Cobra, retrieve Lucy's suitcase from her room and move it to mine. I want to talk to you._

 _Making dinner boss._  He replied, and Mard could almost sense a bit of agitation from the man.

 _Have someone else handle it._ Mard went back into his closet, slipped on a dark red silk shirt, buttoning it with alacrity to finish dressing for the evening, and grabbed one of his black robes for Lucy to wear until her belongings arrived.

 _Sure, I'll leave Jackal unsupervised in the kitchen, that works._ Only the poison demon could contain this much sarcasm, which had moments to be amusing but not now.

_Cobra, why do I let you talk back to me so much?_

_Cause I look good naked, duh,_ Cobra said while relaying a kissing sound along with the words.

Mard rolled his eyes.  _Now Cobra, or I will skin you_  He smiled.  _Again_.

_Yep, on my way._

Lucy came out of the bathroom, the blood gone from her skin, and Mard handed her the robe. "I am having your clothes brought here for you. I made the observation that you like cuddling me."

Lucy gave him a slow blink. "Excuse me? You're the one that put me in your bed. So I think you're the cuddling whore."

"Lucy, at my age, I am simply not a cuddling whore," Mard said, being reasonably truthful on that statement. After all whores got paid, and he got his cuddles for free damnit.

She opened her mouth, closed it and huffed, "Fine you win, but I bet you dollars to donuts you're a cuddling fiend or maybe an addict."

Mard chuckled and kissed her nose. "We will need to make that an official bet. How does one decide the outcome?"

Lucy pursed her lips and tilted her head. "Good point. I guess the easy way is that if you want me in your room, then fine but I take the couch…"

"Unacceptable," Mard said with a sharp wave of his hand. There was no way he was not sleeping next to her again, as he actually slept. Real, deep, uneventful sleep, the kind he hadn't had since he was a child.

"See, you need cuddles," she chided and Mard could feel a bubbly sensation tickle his senses from her.

"I do not. Why is it you think you can best me?" he laughed, as he took note as to how much he was enjoying this time with her and her clever mind. A rare thing for him, he never warmed up to people in such a short period of time. Yet, with his bride it was more like she fit him beyond anything rational.

Lucy gave him a saucy little wink. "Been there, done that, ordered the t-shirt."

"Fuck, she's like this little ray of sunshine isn't she?" Cobra asked, and Mard spun around to look at the servant.

"You forgot to knock," he said. As usual, Cobra looked unfazed as he walked over to Lucy and shook her hand.

"Cobra. Nice to meet you Sunshine."

Mard rubbed his ear as Cobra spoke. He said the word  _nice_?

"Lucy, but I guess Sunshine works. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Cobra."

"Just Cobra. Alright got your shit. You look like a kid playing dress up in his robe. Go on and change." He made a shooing motion with his hand.

"Thank you," Lucy said and Mard froze solid when he saw her hug the poison demon. His jaw dropped when Cobra actually hugged her back. Maybe she had some kind of hugging superpower? Was that an actual power? How many more people was she going to hug, and how many of them should he kill?

Lucy pulled from the demon and, taking her bags, she walked into the bathroom and shut the door. Mard looked over and he saw a smile on Cobra's face. "That was a hug. You exchanged a hug with my bride."

The one eyed demon shrugged. "I guess so. She's a good hugger. What do you need?"

Mard let out a breath. "She will need a personal butler, and you are ideal for the role."

"Why me? I'm the family asshole and she's the polar opposite."

"You are also loyal, I can trust you to guard her when I am not around, and eventually her and Jackal will become friends," Mard said and he took a second to run through that thought. Jackal and Lucy as friends…

His eyes widened as he imagined utter chaos exploding in his castle. All the damage they could do, in the name of fun and boredom. Mard shuddered at the thoughts and reined them in as quickly as they formed.

"Yep, got it boss," Cobra said with a grin before he sniffed the air. Mard followed suit and groaned. "Yeah like I said, can't leave Jackal alone. Fuck how the hell do you burn spaghetti noodles?"

"Go, deal with it. Order pizza and I will introduce Lucy to my garden. We shall dine properly when Silver returns tomorrow," Mard said, keeping his temper in check.

"Chicken wings, too?" Cobra asked as he batted his one eye all sweet-like.

"Cobra, have I ever  _not_  ordered chicken wings? Now go," Mard commanded as Cobra spun on a heel and bolted out of the bedroom.

Lucy came out of the bathroom, dressed in a pleasing short dress in the same deep pink as a Munstead Wood rose. It showed off her beautiful cleavage, and barely covered her ass. The color was alluring on her as it added a slight flush to her pale skin. Plenty of her splendid skin was on display as Mard mapped out all the areas he had yet to lick or bite. His bride would make a beautiful showpiece at the next dark society gathering. He had several ideas for various garments and would need to contact a women's clothing expert to help him construct a wardrobe for Lucy.

"Dinner will be delayed," Mard said. "Would you accompany me to the garden? I would like to introduce you to my children." He held out his arm and Lucy tentatively took it.

* * *

Jackal is too much fun to write, he should be illegal. Just wait, poor Mard and Cobra, yes Lucy and Jackal will become fast friends.

Thank you so much for all the reviews, faves and follows! Massive hugs and kisses to  _GemNika_  for her editing skills and being fucking awesome in general!

**Don't forget to give Mard a cup of coffee today and comment, kudo, bookmark!**


	4. String Theory

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

_NOTE: This is NOT edited by GemNika but she did pre-read it for me. Gem is now wonderfully in a full time job shaping little minds. Please respect her hard work and dedication to teaching, which means she may not update her stories as frequently. She is a hard working mother and author and brilliant soul, let her have her space._

_**Her Sire is dedicated to her beauty, always. It is my love story for her mind that I just want to ravage.** _

 

 

* * *

"I want to see all of it," Lucy said her eyes as big as dinner plates as he lead her through the castle. Mard was elated to see her wonder as she took it in, his castle was a work of great pride for the vampire. It took almost a century to construct, decorate and refine to have it where it is. He was after all a perfectionist by nature and royalty, his home would reflect that in spades.

"You will have plenty of time, later." Mard said, feeling her excitement as she all but skipped beside him. He opened the door for her and watched as she ran outside into the patio area overlooking the courtyard.

"Is this the garden?" she asked as she scanned the area before her.

"No, this is the courtyard, the garden is behind the servants quarters, this way," Mard pulled on her hand and walked with her down the cobblestone path. He felt his roses call out for his attention, as the blooms shifted slightly to follow them as they walked. The vampire released a bit of his magic, letting them feed from his power to sate their hunger for now, he'd need to give them a proper meal soon.

Leading her through the arched walkway between the two single story buildings he paused for a moment to come behind her. Mard put his hands over her eyes and guided her steps as they walked into the start of his garden.

He lifted his hands up and found his arms wrapping around her shoulders as she sucked in a breath. Mard had great pride in his garden and to be here with Lucy experiencing what she felt was going straight to his head.

"Oh my stars…" she breathed as her hand covered her mouth, the look of shock and wonder all over her beautiful features.

Mard's garden covered almost a solid acre of land, before it gave way to a soft wild meadow and transitioned into a forest. A smooth stone path allowed for careless meandering through all the various roses, statues and fountains. Wrought iron lamps gave a soft glow over the area, just enough so that one could see the features, and blooms around them but still keep the stars bright above.

He designed this to guide the visitor to walk through carefully planned vignettes where roses gathered by color, shape, and or size around works of art or quiet benches. The grandest one was in the center, the tribute to his mother. The large white fountain was the centerpiece, as he had spent decades drawing it himself. Mavis stood in the center, the smile he cherished as a child permanently on her face as she looked to the stars. In her one hand a large rose with rubies dotting the tips of the petals and in the other a book with the date of her death etched in gold.

The air here was lightly perfumed with variating rose fragrances, some that smelt as expected of a rose and some that carried a bit of blood in them. They all blended together to create a scent that was uniquely Mard's, this was his sanctuary and the symbol of his power, the thorn flowers. For what is beautiful is also deadly.

Mard took her hands in his, cupping them in front of her he summoned one of his roses. The magic began as small red petals as they swirled together to form into a rose that filled her tiny hands. "These are my children, born of my magic," he said.

"How is it a scary vampire has command of roses?" Lucy said with a bit of a giggle to her voice. He debated for a moment about holding her to the no answers till dinner rule. The problem was that had dinner not been delayed it would already be that time. Also he could bend a little in the interests of conversation.

"In truth, no one knows how magic is decided for creatures who possess it," Mard said, as he stepped to the side and took his newly created rose and tucked it behind her ear.

"Maybe because you're a really pretty prick?" Lucy asked and Mard glared at her with a small snarl to his lip. She rose to her tip toes and placed a kiss to his collarbone, "I'm teasing, lighten up."

"Lucy, I am older than you, wiser, and more powerful, what exactly is it about me that you think you can treat me like…" Mard pursed his lips, "a normal human."

"You need someone to challenge you, make you laugh and let things go a bit, it's life," she clicked her tongue, "no one gets out alive."

He looked at her for a moment before she started laughing, pulling the same response from him. Mard was enjoying this as he let himself feel that bit of happiness she carried with her. He could admit that Lucy was not wrong in what he needs. She pieced it together so quickly, as if she had always been by his side. As if she truly was made just for him.

His phone buzzed and he saw the little pizza icon come up on his screen, "dinner, we can do a better walk through another day."

"Thank you, Mard," Lucy said as she blushed and lightly touched the rose in her hair.

"You are welcome," he kissed her hand and escorted her back to the house.

* * *

Freed bolted straight up in bed, startling his bride as she read to him. He brushed his bangs back as he pursed his lips, analyzing what he was feeling. Merlin wrapped her arms around him as she pressed his head into her chest. The vampire turned his head and nuzzled the soft mound of her breast as his hand reflexively went to her large belly as their children kicked at his movements.

"Alright, love?" she asked.

"Mard..." Freed let his voice trail off.

"Good or bad?"

"Good. He's currently happy, I am just not used to it," Freed said.

Freed had always been emotionally connected to his brother, a quirk of being twins. Their connection was a background hum in his mind but for a few moments today he felt sudden flashes of intense emotion. Over the years he had gotten used to the rare flash of emotion but today Mard had felt happy, sad, and pure rage. The only times he felt all this emotional diversity from his brother was when they found their mother's body and when Mard's heart had broken at his last failed vampire turning.

"I do love it when Mard is happy," Merlin said with a grin on her face.

Freed pursed his lips and he thought through the last time he saw his brother, the proverbial light bulb went off as he sat up. He traced a few runes in the air and summoned his copy of the contract he recently wrote for Mard. Unfurling the parchment he went over the details and found himself smiling.

His form of scripting magic left him as  _the_  demonic contract writer. Due to it, his father, Zeref put him in charge of all the contract demons. Demons being the generic species name for all dark creatures that were not human, mage or Celestial. Their world had many unique rules for dealing with the humans they shared the Earth Land plane with and Freed was the master of all of them. Not just due to his magic, but because he thoroughly enjoyed the challenges of word sparrings and semantics. His brother and Merlin were his favorite opponents only because he had a chance to lose to either of them and that risk added a thrill to his life.

Merlin put her chin on his shoulder and he knew she was reading it along with him. When he finished he traced new runes and sent it back to the vault. "His bride arrived and if I'm right, she might be the one."

"It's an unusual contract, he hates the man he bought her from, I can tell," Merlin added and Freed loved her mind, she was always so quick to catch subtle nuances.

"Yes, I noticed that too. Mard doesn't like humans as a rule but this one really bothered him," he added pursing his lips.

"Knowing him, he pillaged the man's mind and found things that upset his sense of order," Merlin said as she pulled him back down to resume their comfortable cuddling. Sadly, this last trimester of the pregnancy was keeping her all but stuck in bed, as the triplets wreaked havoc on her body.

Freed did not mind the extra laziness and snuggles, he just minded seeing her pale and shaking on most days. He reminded himself that soon she would give birth and he would have her back to her full strength. The rune vampire nuzzled the soft mound of her enlarged breast as his hand rested over the babies who were determined to host a fight club with each other and her organs.

"Most likely, Mard didn't give me details, just that he had to have this woman he hadn't met," he added, enjoying the feeling of Merlin's fingers as she ran them through his hair.

"Do you, my love, think it's possible, that she is the true bride and he sensed her being within his grasp from the blood connection to this Jude Heartfilia?" she asked and Freed nodded.

He smiled at the romantic thoughts in his head about Mard finally finding the right woman. Freed could imagine his usually cold brother warming up and showing off the hidden romantic inside of himself. His brother was such an intriguing puzzle of an individual, and Mard would need a bride who could solve that puzzle.

"I think it's possible, though let us hope that he does not screw this up with his usual demeanor," Freed said.

"Pish, any woman fate selects for Mard can handle him," Merlin let out a pained moan.

"False contraction again?" he asked, rubbing her belly and trying to soothe her pain. His bride had an ungodly pain tolerance but he suspected she was at her end for what was tolerable.

"Yes, husband mine, let's put a pin in talking about Mard's love life. I have other ideas," she said as she pulled on his hair slightly.

Freed whimpered in understanding to what her needs were, he found himself hard in anticipation. He looked up at his bride and she bared her fangs for him, forcing him to show off his own. The game of domination would begin and Freed delighted in knowing he was going to lose, his bride owned every last piece of him. As a true bride does for the vampire who sires them.

* * *

"I love pizza," Lucy said as she grabbed a slice.

"Ditto, sugar tits," Jackal added and Mard shot him a hard glare over the nickname. It was undignified to say the least.

"I'll have you know they ain't made of sugar, otherwise Mard would be a diabetic by now," Lucy retorted and Mard could not stop the snort that came out of his nose. It was an inelegant gesture but her snark was perfectly timed and well stated, even at his expense.

"Wow, you just made the boss snort, high five Sunshine," Cobra added.

"Explain to me why I let you all act this way in front of me?" Mard asked before taking a bite of his pizza. It was such a wonderful human food and he enjoyed it as a treat or an emergency back up plan when dinner had gone wrong. It was perhaps his third favorite thing after coffee and now Lucy's exquisite he got her to drink coffee, he could enjoy both, coffee flavored Lucy would be glorious.

"Cause you love us, even if you can't say it and cause at least we don't glitter bomb your ass like your sister-in-law," Cobra said.

Lucy looked at him with wide eyes as she sipped her cranberry juice and Mard pulled his phone. He went through the pictures of the last family dinner party and selected one of Freed and Merlin. Mard moved his chair closer to hers and leaned over, "my twin brother, born six minutes after me and his bride, Merlin. They will be here Sunday night for family dinner."

"Except for the great hair, there isn't much of a resemblance," Lucy said.

"No, I took after our father and Freed our mother."

"Oh will your parents also be here for Sunday dinner?" she asked and Mard frowned for a moment. Lucy's delicate hand went to his cheek, "I'm sorry, you don't have to tell me."

He covered her hand with his own and tilted his head into her touch, "mother died when we were eight and my father is…."

"A grandkid obsessed ruler of Hell," Jackal piped in as he stole the last of the pineapple and olive pizza.

"As in Satan?" Lucy asked, her voice slightly raised her eyes large.

"No, Satan and that Hell are different than the one which my father rules over here," Mard pursed his lips and tried to think about how he was going to explain this to her.

"Sunshine, is like this," Cobra said as he took the empty pizza box and several chicken wings, "alright this olive is Earth Land, this pineapple is another Earth, with me so far?" he asked and she nodded, "so this wing, is Hell as we know it," he placed it next to the olive, "now this wing," he took a bite out of it and set it next to the pineapple, "is the Hell as they define it, each version of Earth Land that shows up has its own Heaven, Hell and Underworld attached to it."

"Which makes sense as in quantum mechanics we have the idea of parallel universes tied through string theory. It's a plausible scientific construct, if you factor in for the four main forces that define the universe," she smiled, a little twinkle in her eyes and Mard found himself elated to see this. "What you just did there was simplified version of breaking it down however there are some flaws associated with it," Mard watched as she took the food pieces and rearranged them, "now this configuration we can follow an open string versus a closed string, this allows for the universes to align more in a linear pattern. It was good that you took a bite of the wing, because to form one universe, one thing could have to change to create it. This could be as subtle as one particle difference that would adjust something like the size of the sun or even missing one boson." Lucy took a breath and kept talking, rearranging food as needed and discussing complex terms. Mard barely kept up with her, Cobra listened intently and Jackal looked as confused as ever.

The table went silent as Lucy finished speaking, Mard found himself enraptured by her words and intellect. He looked at Cobra and Jackal for a moment before grabbing his Lucy and placing her in his lap. "That was erotic, Lucy. Tell me more," he whispered as his hand trailed up her inner thigh.

"You want to discuss the differences in string versus particle theory?" she asked.

"No, I want to listen to you tell me all about it," he said as he nuzzled her neck and licked it lightly. Lucy shivered in his lap and he was delighted with her simple responses. Though he just wanted to listen to her because it was so difficult to find intellectual stimulation around here. To think she was hiding this kind of intelligence, but after this he would make sure she would not hide it again.

Lucy spoke about nuances of string versus particle theory and her preferences while Mard found his eyes heavy and his body relaxing to the point of his perfect posture was compromised. He slouched in the padded chair as Lucy rested her head on his shoulder and traced what felt like mathematical formulas on his chest. This could be his new way to achieve relaxation, after a long day or perhaps a new way to fall asleep.

Mard kissed her forehead as he heard chairs slide and his servants leave the patio. He didn't realize that Jackal and Cobra were still there. In fact, he forgot there was a world out there until Lucy paused mid-definition of what were supersymmetric particles. "Keep going," he whispered.

"You have bosons and fermions and if you can define a relationship between them you have the basic starting point of supersymmetry. That's important as an extension of the Standard Model..." Lucy kept talking and Mard relaxed even more into the chair.

She let out a yawn and Mard came out of his trance as she stretched. "Bed time," she said sleepily. He looked up at the sky and noticed by the moon that they must have outside for a few hours easily. All of her talking was beautiful to hear and she had a gift for breaking down something complex into beautifully simplistic phrases. Lucy was a witty, defiant, beautiful, intelligent little scientist, life was being kind to him with it's gift of her.

"Why do you think you get to dictate this?" Mard asked.

"Cause this little human needs her sleep, Sire, please," she pouted and Mard was not certain what to do with this. The pout on her face felt as if it was exerting dominance over him in a way that had him mindlessly standing up with her in his arms.

"You do know that if I bring you to bed you will not get your questions answered. As technically dinner is over," Mard knew dinner was over hours ago as she talked but if she would keep talking to him, he would allow dinner to go on all night.

She yawned again and rubbed her cheek against his pectoral, "I know but so tired, this was too soothing, I could feel you relaxing and it makes Lucy go sleepy now."

He arched a brow, "you felt me relaxed?"

She nodded, "you even slouched. Please, bedtime for little human."

Mard could not stop his feet from moving as he glided back into the house and started heading for the bedroom. He gave Jackal a nod as he walked by, a silent understanding that he was retiring to his room for the night and to clean up the mess. The demon smiled at him and Mard shook his head, not understanding what had the pup excited.

When he entered his room he saw Cobra coming out of the closet. "I finished putting her things away, everything should be in order." Mard knew it meant that Cobra had finished checking things over as per security protocols. It was a rare event that someone dare try anything inside of Mard's home but it had happened before.

"Thank you Cobra," Lucy said as he set her down. She walked to the servant and hugged him, "good night, have sweet dreams."

"Uh, you too Sunshine." he said before letting her go and leaving the room. Mard simply did not understand this hugging thing but she did and used it well.

"Wow, you like your black," Lucy called out from the closet. Mard walked over to it and saw her lightly running her fingers over his suits. "Don't you think it's kind of cliche?"

"In what way?" Mard asked, curious about this concept.

"Vampire in black suits," she giggled as she moved for the other side of the closet where her few items of clothing were stored.

"Business man in black suits, my species does not factor into it. My twin for instance does not like the color at all, whereas I find it to be a strong classic," Mard explain, as he removed his clothes, setting them on the counter to be taken for dry cleaning.

Lucy dropped the light blue nighty in her hands with her jaw open, Mard was confused as they were just naked in the shower several hours ago. "What?"

She closed her eyes, picked up the scrap of fabric, and shook her head before swallowing, "still adjusting to how easy you like to be naked."

He pursed his lips for a moment and gave a brief shrug before walking over to her. Mard pulled the little nighty out of her hands and set it on the shelf, "no clothing in my bed."

"Wait, you slept in your boxers before," she pointed out.

"That was for your initial comfort, I believe we are past this point. Though before you get into bed, I have a request," he said.

She yawned and reached behind her to undo the dress, "it's not going to involve a blow job is it?"

Mard's eyes widen by a fraction of an inch, "did you want it to? I appreciate falatio before I rest for the evening and in the morning while I watch the news and drink coffee."

Lucy slipped out of her dress and stood before him in just her panties, "no, I don't want to suck you off, tonight."

"Tomorrow morning it is then," Mard smirked and Lucy's mouth fell open. He pinched her chin and studied her open mouth, "I believe you can accommodate a fair measure of my cock in there."

She smacked his hand away, puffed her cheeks and all but ran out of the closet, leaving Mard to chuckle. The rose fell out of her hair and he picked it up, setting it on the nightstand before he followed her into the bathroom. Mard stood at the other sink in the vanity and brushed his teeth as she did the same. There was a strange sense of normalcy in this moment as they went through nighttime rituals. As she applied cream to her face Mard grabbed a hair tie and his favorite brush, and left the bathroom.

He sat on the edge of the bed and waited for his little bride to come back into the bedroom. She did and fully nude, he enjoyed the view of her. "You will brush and braid my hair every night before bed. If you do anything to make a mess of it you will do it again. I do not sleep with my hair loose."

"What if you do something that messes it up?" she asked and Mard smiled at her for catching his wording.

"You are still in charge of braiding my hair."

Lucy let out a harsh breath and shrugged slightly, "yes, Sire." She walked over to the bed and took up a position behind him. Her slim fingers pulled out his ponytail and Mard let out a sigh of relief to feel his hair down. All that weight on his head he was used to, but it was still a welcome relief to have it flow freely down his back.

Lucy was gentle while she brushed out his mane and when she began to braid it Mard unconsciously shivered feeling her nails against his scalp. He always loved having his hair played with, but with his little bride, the feeling was more intense. Yes, every night he would have her do this for him.

"Finished," she whispered and Mard nodded, appreciating the fact that the braid was not too tight or loose. He felt the shifting in the mattress as she curled under the blanket. Mard followed her and found himself wrapping his larger body around hers.

"Goodnight Lucy," he said as he kissed the top of her head.

"Goodnight cuddle whore," she retorted making him pinch her side for her playful banter. He listened to her heartbeat and counted her breaths as he found himself drifting off to sleep at record time. Tomorrow he would keep her awake longer and start adjusting her schedule to his, tonight he just wanted to enjoy this.

Mard Geer had much enjoyment out of today and he hoped that tomorrow would be even better. Least this time he could assure himself that Lucy will not be punching him awake.

* * *

"Yep, he's got it bad for her." Cobra said as they stood around the kitchen enjoying drinks and raiding the ice cream.

"Oh, help me choose a picture!" Jackal exclaimed as he pulled out his phone and brought up the dozen or so pictures he took of Mard holding Lucy at the time.

"To send to Zeref?" Cobra asked as Jackal nodded and he took the phone from him and scrolled through them. His thumb made a few taps on the screen, "sent. He looks the most relaxed in this one, that's a smile. Mard Geer Tartaros is smiling."

"You can also see the rose in her hair," Jackal added with a grin.

"You're right, he gave her a rose, important detail right there, good job dog breath."

"What's going on?" Gajeel asked as the large man walked up to them. He was a hulking figure dressed in black leather with facial piercings and muscles for his muscles.

"Where the fuck were you for dinner tonight?" Cobra shot back and Jackal took two steps back. These two did not like each other and he didn't want to be in the middle of this.

"I had a date, the boss weren't going nowhere, me time." He shrugged.

"If he had to go somewhere? You did not let anyone know about your plans, that is against the rules!" The one eyed demon shouted as the two got dangerously close to each other.

_If a fight wakes up my bride I will personally strap all of you down into the Playground. Am I understood?_  Mard's booming voice filtered into Jackal's head. Going by the look on Cobra and Gajeel's faces they had gotten the same message.

The Playground was Mard personal torture chamber, no one was allowed in there and those that went in rarely ever came back out alive. If they did come back out alive, they were no longer who they were when they first went in. If Mard was in there, something was wrong and up until a few weeks ago Mard had been spending more and more time in there.

Jackal thought about that little nugget for a minute as he finally noticed Cobra waving his hand in front of his face. "Huh?"

The poison demon leaned over to him, Jackal noticed how he was still watching Gajeel who was grabbing a beer from the fridge. "What ya thinking about there dog breath?"

"Mard hadn't been in there since he showed us that picture of her on his phone, remember even you were worried cause he was overly restless?" he whispered.

"Oh fuck," Cobra slapped his forehead, "that makes sense. Good call, see just cause you're blonde, you ain't completely fucking stupid."

"What the fuck is he talking about? Who is this chick, I can smell her all over you, bitch," Gajeel said to Cobra as he flicked off the top on the bottle.

Jackal opened his mouth and found Cobra's hand shoved hard against it, "look, when the boss is ready to introduce her, he will. Till then ain't ya business bearings for brains."

"Fuck you too," Gajeel gave him the middle finger and prowled out of the room.

"The fuck?" Jackal asked as he pushed Cobra's hand off his mouth.

"It's better if fuckwit only knows what bossman tells him. Saying bride is one thing, saying true bride puts her in danger. Even then, we could be wrong. Gotta play that close to the vest."

"He's one of us, Cobra," Jackal said.

"He really ain't, look lots of shit happened before Mard found your furry ass. Trust me," he said and Jackal knew better than to question for any more details. Jackal never had an issue with talking to Gajeel before but something was really upsetting the poison demon.

"You've never been like this before," Jackal said, usually Cobra loved him some gossip.

"It's important and we gotta keep her safe till he turns her. Even then….well you weren't here the last time he tried. Jai didn't turn, Mard wasn't the same after that."

"Who?" Jackal asked not certain he had ever heard this name before.

"His first love, like dude was crazy about her, thought she was it for him. They went through the ceremony but when she woke, she was a ghoul not a vampire. Mard killed her instantly per protocol. He just shut down after that. Look, he smiles around Lucy, I ain't seen that out of him since Jai and I'd be damned if this fucks up for him," Cobra racked a hand through his hair, "fuck I need a smoke."

"I got a good… " his phone buzzed and he looked at, "Text from Zeref, it's a smiley face emoji and a bunch of baby emojis."

"Then he must see something, okay that's hopeful. Now lips shut and we protect the fuck out of Sunshine. Gonna go smoke and hit the bed," Cobra squeezed his shoulder before heading outside, leaving Jackal alone in the kitchen.

He took a quick walk to the west wing of the castle where the old worship room was. In its current form it was the sauna and hot spring pool, the meditation room. Jackal liked how relaxing this room was with it's clear glass ceiling, no chemical smells, bamboo plants and wild orchids. The demon stripped down and smiled as his tail wagged free, he hated tucking it down his pants. Hopefully soon he won't have to hide his tail from Lucy to maintain a less scary appearance.

He slinked into the warm water, taking a seat and letting the water come up to his chin. Jackal relaxed before he looked up to the dog constellation. "Hey, it's me," he let out a breath, "Look, I don't ask for much but could you make sure this works out for Mard. He didn't have to take me in, raise me or keep me safe for all these years, so could ya make sure he gets a little happiness."

* * *

Lucy woke up in the morning with her body half on top of a very naked and very hard Mard. She'd heard about how men often woke with morning wood, that it was something they couldn't control. Though it was a very intimidating piece of his anatomy, and Lucy realized something.

That in a day under two weeks he was going to be sticking that into her. Her head swam at the thought and had no idea how the hell it was going to fit. She bet it was going to hurt, like ripped in two screaming bloody murder hurt. After all that's what a few of her books had said about it and it left her scared at the thought.

"Yes, but it gets better, as many virgins I have known have told me when I violated them," he said his voice gravel filled.

Lucy was stunned by how he just spoke so nonchalantly about fucking other virgins. It's not she needed to know he'd slept with probably millions of chicks…

"Six hundred and thirty eight sexual partners, since you must know," he said.

Lucy bristled and huffed, "why are you in my head?"

"You were having a near panic attack, the stronger emotions are akin to you screaming in my ear. Now, stop thinking, and give your Sire ten more minutes," he said as he rolled over and pinned her under him.

"Cuddle whore…" she grumbled and was promptly bit right above her breast, "fine, my cuddle whore."

Mard bit her again, "silence,  _puşti."_

_Welcome to your new normal Lucy, wake up with hot naked guy and get treated as a pin cushion for his fangs. Oh and let's not forget that Mr. I'm-More-Powerful-Than-You, is a fucking legit cuddle whore. Seriously, he's heavy, all that muscle and wow, he's just really pretty even first thing in the morning. Maybe I'm winning this?_

"You are not compliant this morning," he said and Lucy gulped.

"Sorry, Sire," she said deciding to try and stop her mind from going into overactive imagination mode. Which was not an easy feat considering her current predicament.

"Better, ten minutes," he said as he held her tight and rubbed his cheek on her breast. Lucy looked up at the ceiling and noticed something, a mirror. He had a mirror over his bed, that was fucking cheesy in her mind.

She felt a searing pain in her breast as she let out a screech. Mard suckled at her skin as he fed and dear goddess above did the bite begin to feel wonderful. Lucy found her breathing difficult, as her channel became slick with arousal, and she squirmed wanting friction.

Lucy was clutching Mard's braid and the sheets, trying to not move her hands because pleasure should only come from her Sire. His very unfair rule and she hated the fucking sadist for it, but then again he wouldn't be a very good sadist if he didn't torture her. If this was how she was going to wake up every fucking morning, she was not amused.

Well, maybe a little amused.

Mard stopped his feeding and shifted to be between her legs, "you did well,  _puşti."_ Lucy looked down at him and her eyes widened as Mard slithered further down her body, his lips leaving a trail along her flesh.

It took less than two minutes before Lucy was shaking and screaming his name as he devoured her. Her eyes opened she found them transfixed on the ceiling as she watched the entire scene. The way the back of his head looked between her legs, the movements of his defined back muscles, and holy shit, that man's ass when he flexed it. Now she understood the mirror and watching him perform on her was almost as hot as feeling it.

Lucy was shaking as Mard crawled back up on her, he had a smirk on his face, "I think someone likes the mirror."

She could barely manage a shaky nod at him. Mard wiped his face before he dipped down to kiss her. His naked cock rubbed against her womanhood and Lucy's eyes rolled into the back of her head. He rocked against her folds, driving her wild to feel his hot hard length rubbing her clit.

"Want to fuck you, impale you on me, and make you scream," he said and holy shit Lucy was ready to agree to this.

She tried to wiggle down to move his cock and say, "yes take me," but he took her hand and stopped. He looked down at her and she bit her lip, "sorry, Sire. I was excited."

"I know, I can feel it," he glanced to the clock on the nightstand and sighed, "morning meetings soon," Mard gave her a kiss before he got off the bed and headed for the bathroom at a speed Lucy could barely see him. She let out a sigh and pulled the covers up to her neck, so she didn't have to look at her naked body.

Lucy was enjoying the satin sheets, the delicious hum in her body, and the soft mattress below her. She could very much handle lounging around in this bed and enjoying a good morning orgasm, after being treated like a juice box.

_Puşti, wash me,_ he commanded straight into her brain.

_But, I'm comfy,_ she whined.

_Do I have to get you?_

She heard the implied threat and grumbling to herself about persnickety vampires, she got out of the bed, and went into the large bathroom.

Mard was standing under the shower, the clear glass door giving Lucy an unfettered view of his naked chiseled body. He motioned for her to come to him and Lucy held up her hand, went into the water closet first, before she attended to taking care of the pain in her neck.

As she went into the shower, "Mard, is this how every morning is going to be?"

"Define."

"You demanding cuddles," she grabbed a washcloth, "feeding from me and then treating me like your personal sex toy…"

He pressed his finger to her lips, "correction, you treated my face like your personal sex toy."

"Semantics, is a thing isn't it?" she asked lathering up the washcloth.

"Always," Mard put his hands on her shoulders, "I have a need for routines."

Lucy mouthed an "oh" as she washed his back and removed the braid from his hair. She understood the routines idea, she had hers for years and rarely changed it. Though she would have to adjust to whatever he deemed as a routine.

They went through the motions of the shower and Mard had kissed her senseless for her thorough work on cleaning him. He left her alone in there to gather her thoughts and tend to her own grooming. This morning she did notice that her bathing items now sat on their own little shelf, and it was a little thing that made her smile.

When she came out of the bathroom she noticed he had put her clothing on the bed for her, she pursed her lips and pinched her brow. "Please tell me you were trying to be helpful and not dictating my clothing choices?"

"Women tend to take too long to make such selections," Mard said as he adjusted a beautiful Breguet silver watch on his wrist. Lucy admired the way he filled out the black three piece suit, dressed or naked, he was so striking.

"Mard, ground rule, please," she said as she fingered the white off the shoulder top. He paired it with a black mini skirt, knee high stockings, black Mary Jane shoes and nude colored lingerie. Overall she appreciated his taste with her clothes, it was a cute outfit from her limited selections.

"No selecting of your clothing? Why is that an issue, it is innocuous really because I can just tear them off of you whenever I wish."

She sighed, "that might be true but I do like some of my own abilities to make choices. I'll make you a deal," Mard looked at her and raised an eyebrow, "everyday clothing, I pick, special occasions you can have a vote."

The vampire kissed her forehead, "it is a fair compromise. Though in time you'll realize that I have exquisite taste."

Lucy looked up and smiled at him, enjoying the playful expression she could read on his handsome face, "I know you do, after all, here I am."

"Hurry, if you don't get down there quick enough, Jackal eats all the bacon and you should meet the rest of the staff," Mard said with a pinch to her ass. Once he said bacon Lucy didn't care what he picked as she got dressed.

Mard escorted her down to the dining room where a wonderful breakfast was laid out on it. Different breakfast meats, eggs, hashbrowns, pastries, juices and two different carafes of coffee, all laid down the center of the large table on silver trays. She also noticed several new faces as they sat with plates of food.

"Staff, for those who were not here, this is Lucy, my bride," he said and Lucy could feel a bit of pride in his voice as he called her that. "The large one with piercings is Gajeel, he is my main driver. If I do not have use for him, he will take you anywhere you wish to go."

Lucy was surprised that he was just handing out freedom like that. She could go anywhere? Do anything? Leave the castle? She wasn't a prisoner? She was all but bouncing on the balls on her feet as Mard looked at her with a smile. "Yes, though he is also quite a deadly bodyguard so make sure you behave yourself," he whispered to her.

"Mam," the large man said as he stood up and gave her a sharp nod of his head.

"Lucy, please," she corrected with a smile.

"This one is Silver, he's the head chef here." Lucy looked over at the man who looked the most normal here. He gave her a wave of his hand before he went back to his meal. "Has anyone seen Bickslow?"

"Poppo is sick," Jackal said and Lucy saw Mard frown.

"Damn, that one is his favorite," he pursed his lips, "Bickslow is the grounds keeper and stable master. Jackal, make sure he gets breakfast this morning and if anything happens, call me immediately." Jackal nodded at Mard's command and Lucy thought it was sweet that Mard knew his staff and had care over anything that could upset them.

"Maybe during my tour today, I can meet him and see how things are?" Lucy asked.

Mard gave her a slow blink and one side of his mouth lifted up, "already trying to be the woman of the castle?"

"Stop acting like you don't love my initiative," Lucy grinned at him and he kissed her forehead, sending a bit of warmth around her heart.

Lucy gave a short bow, "it's so nice to meet everyone and thank you for welcoming me to breakfast."

"Saddle on up Sunshine, grab some bacon before Jackal eats it all." She followed Mard as he pulled out the chair to his right side for her. For living with a vampire, this seemed like a fairly normal breakfast gathering.

"Cobra, I have to be in the office today. Give Lucy a tour of the castle." Mard said as Jackal handed him a cup of coffee and Cobra nodded.

"Alright Sunshine, after breakfast and the bossman heads for the office let's start in the one of the best rooms here. The main library." He said with a grin and Lucy couldn't be more thrilled.


	5. Tartaros

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail

* * *

 

Jude had woken up to his alarm and shoved the small boy off of him. He rolled over to silence the device as he blinked to clear the mental fog from waking up. Sitting up he snarled at the dried blood on his lap, he was too rough last night in his excitement. Though that was last night and he could not go back and correct things. He needed to cleanse himself and have the boy returned to his new room for lessons. Now that Lucy was no longer around he could give into his latent desires.

Speaking of her, he took his phone and checked his bank account. There should be a multimillion dollar transfer from Mr. Tartaros waiting for him. As he thumbed through the transactions his eyes widened and he shook in rage.

_ Deposit: $0.01 - Tartaros _

He immediately pressed the speed dial for his corporate attorney and barked out the order that he wanted a review of the contract. The sniveling worm tried to tell him that he did not have the contract and had not seen it. Jude found that problematic and he knew he would never sign the contract without him present. 

After a shower and breakfast he was in his office rummaging through his safe. Jude located an unusual scroll and pulled it out to have a look through. He broke the red wax rose and uncoiled the scroll, the parchment crinkling. None of it made sense, this wasn’t a contract, this was a pile of gibberish. Yet at the bottom was his signature, one for Mard Geer Tartaros and someone named Freed Justine.

Why would he sign something he couldn’t read and who was this Freed Justine? Where was his attorney's signature? This could not be binding, could it?

Jude could take a chance and call Mr. Tartaros, use the guise of checking on the girl. Then they could resolve this issue and he could know what it was he was holding in his hand. More importantly why he didn’t have another twenty-five million Jewel in his account. 

Mard Geer had offered the largest amount for Lucy and to have her in the hands of a powerful mercenary was a bonus. Just the implied threat that he was now family with Tartaros would be enough to give him leverage in his dealings. More so than his connections to Phantom Lord. A well turned phrase could force more people to bow to him and his company. Even if he had no plans on ever seeing that girl ever again.

Jude turned on the speaker phone and dialed the number he had listed in his contacts. He paced behind his desk, his anger growing with each passing ring.

“Mard Geer,” the commanding voice said, almost making Jude take a step back.

“Jude Heartfilia, how are you this day?”

“Is there a problem, Mr. Heartfilia?” Mard’s words were sharp, almost sinister sounding.

“I was calling to ask you how the first night went,” he asked trying to work through his mind how to bridge the issue.

“The money was transfered, Lucy is no longer your concern,” Mr. Tartaros replied. 

“She is still my daughter, my flesh and blood. I want to make sure things are okay before I walk away,” he tried to adjust his voice to fake a bit of concern, perhaps the man would understand.

“No, Jude, you want to know about the dollar amount in your account. I suggest you actually read the binding contract you signed and lose this phone number,” the call cut out and Jude slammed his fist onto the desk. 

Jude spent the rest of the morning trying to understand the scroll and finding someone to translate it. He also ordered a full report on Tartaros and this Freed Justine, something he was surprised he did not have already. This whole deal was not to his usual standards and he began to feel as if he’d been duped. No one ever had the temerity to do this to him, Jude Heartfilia was not new to this game. Who exactly was this Mard Geer and why did he want her?

_ He remembered the night, he met Mr. Tartaros, in a private club where they shared drinks and conversations about things only powerful men could understand. Jude could see how the impassive man arched a brow and smiled for a fraction of a second when he showed him Lucy’s picture. _

_ “You are selling her hand in marriage then?” he asked as he swirled the ice cubes in his drink. _

_ “Looking for the right buyer,” Jude replied. He pulled out a pen and started writing a few things on a cocktail napkin. The point was to outline the basics of what he wanted in exchange for the girl. It would not hold up in any court, but if Mr. Tartaros was interested, he should have a baseline. _

_ The indigo haired man took the napkin and scanned it. “Power and money then, I did not know such traditions were still honored,” he said, “though Mr. Heartfilia we can help each other in this instance, but you will play by my rules.” _

_ Jude laughed. “You have some nerve thinking you can dictate this. I have royals and other leaders of industry lined up, you are just a man in a bar.” _

_ Mard chuckled darkly, “I am anything but just a man. Right now, I am the creature you need and tonight you’ll easily make any deal I wish.” _

After that Jude’s memory became less sharp and he struggled to remember beyond a pair of black eyes that pierced into his soul. Perhaps he was drugged and forced to sign this scroll?

Until his questions were answered and the scroll translated, he would have no choice but to take drastic action. “Dial, Phantom Lord,” he spoke aloud. Whoever Mr. Tartaros thought he was, he will learn quickly that no one plays games with Jude Heartfilia.

* * *

 

Mard felt his lips pull in the perfect smirk as he enjoyed hanging up on that over inflated human. He knew that call would be coming, which is why he wanted to be out of the house early today. No point in his bride hearing anything that might upset her, let alone for all that is unholy finding out that he paid a penny for her.

It was a point of pride to do that to the waste of flesh, after all there were even some things denizens of the Underworld would not do. The mental images Mard pulled from the man had left him with a disturbing taste in his mouth. Taking away Lucy seemed only fitting, especially when he considered who Jude had considered selling her to. A stuffed pig of a Duke who did not deserve someone so beautiful, not for what he planned to do with her.

At very least, Mard is a sadist but he is more humane with his sexual objects than that Duke. He could not imagine that level of degradation with her, leaving her chained and naked to a bed for most of her days to satisfy his wants, and only bring her out when he had to fake being a husband. Jude had laughed with the Duke about the entire situation, saying it was why women were made. That was one disturbing memory among other things he had learned about  _ high society _ while plowing Jude with drinks and raping his mind. 

Mard growled low in this throat as he thought of his bride ever being hurt like that. It was beyond his ability to fathom, even in his darkest of days. When he played with his temporary toys it was because they wanted to be there. They wanted to feel his pain and pleasure but slowly they were starting to feel like nothing more than warm up as he waited for the blonde who showed up into his life.

There were many things in the back of his mind he could not wait to discuss with Freed. If he spoke with his father, Zeref about it, all he would hear would be endless chatter about children. Then the ceremony would become a massive event and Mard did not want hundreds of people in attendance for it,  like his step-sister had. 

Part of Mard wanted to give into his selfish side and take her now and try the change without the ancient ritual. As he thought of her coffee colored eyes, he remembered to be careful, he did not want to lose this one as he lost his Jai.

He was certain Jai was the one but if he allowed those old emotions to come forward he could see with clarity that it was not the same. No, Jai was all perfect desire, and Lucy was proving to be more than one base need and in a short amount of time. This is why he wanted to talk with Freed, longer durations of time never bothered Mard, it gave him time to plan but this, was too sudden for a man like him. 

The car stopped and door opened as Mard stood in the underground parking lot of Tartaros Mercenaries. On Fridays it was his one day in the office, make an appearance to remind people to train harder and work smarter. It was also the one day he would do face to face meetings, though in reality he spent most of the time playing  _ Bleach Brave Souls _ on his phone because his assistant, Nika, got him hooked. Such a crazy but efficient  _ Scriitor _ demon and he could not get through his calendar without her.

“Full day boss?” Gajeel asked him as Mard walked into the lift. 

Mard looked through his calendars, his Tartaros one was reasonably clear but the one for Tartaros Mercenaries was active. He knew his assistant would have it sorted out for him as to what he actually needed to care about. “Gajeel, I am King of the Underworld and the number three most powerful  _ human _ capitalist in Ishgar. Tell me, is either of those an indication that I am less than busy?” His driver just gave him a nod of understanding and Mard chuckled to himself. He was rarely busy because he was efficient but no one ever needed to know that.

The chime for the lift went off and as the door opened, Mard looked ahead into the quiet of Tartaros. His office was not what people would expect when they came into the Underworld to be sorted before their final departures. This was not the same offices he had above the ground, no humans came down here and if they did most likely he’d hear the complaints about the light sulphur in the air.  

In front of him in large silver letters against a black marble wall was Tartaros. A large black glass double door flanked with vases containing flesh eating mauve roses, was the only way in or out. Beyond those doors his various reapers toiled at their simple desks, grabbing work orders before heading out to complete their reaping quotas for the day. Once past the rows of desks was his office, and god help the people who he had to deal with in person. 

As the doors opened for him, Gajeel took off for his own office. Reapers all stood to attention the room deathly quiet as the King paid no attention to them. His goal was the large set of black doors carved with the visage of death, accented in rubies with no visible seams as to how they opened.

“Morning MG,” Nika called to him as she put a coffee in his hands. She was a lean semi-human looking creature with noticeable tiger features from eye color and stripes on her exposed flesh.

“You changed your hair?” he asked noticing that it was down in a half bun versus the full one she usually wore. The crown was always an interesting touch but it served more as a weapon than hair ornament.

“You noticed before coffee? Who are you and where is Mard Geer?” she chided, before her eyes went even wider, “oh you sly, sly, lusty vampire! Yeah, get you some!” Mard shook his head as she swatted his ass with her tablet, he crossed the threshold into his office, and she took her seat outside. 

Mard rolled his eyes, he allowed her playful nature because it was a quirk of her breed,  _ Sciitor _ demons were fantastic for their energy, diligence and loyalty. Nika had never failed to excel at everything he handed to her, even writing his speeches when he had to pretend to be a human.

His office was the inverted style of his castle, black the dominating color with white and red as the accents. The far wall behind his grand desk was filled with ancient books, some older than himself. In the center of the wall was a massive fireplace, because even the Underworld has winter. Due to the fact that he so rarely had guests into his office he didn’t bother with much for furniture, two plush white chairs in front of his desk was all he allowed. 

The wall to the left was glass allowing him an unfretted view of the River Stix as it snaked through the softly glowing cavern. The wall on the right shifted as the day went on, displaying updates and progress reports of incoming and outgoing. At any time he could tap a name on the panel and have that person brought to him directly, if he had an occasion to need a direct face to face. Every five feet he had a white planter of his beloved blood roses, the blooms turned to follow their father as he padded along the white soft carpeted walkway to his desk. 

He took his seat, propping his feet up on the smooth black wood desk as he sipped his coffee and loaded his game on the phone. There was a new special event coming and his secondary team still hadn’t done enough training for it. Mard wanted those characters stronger so he could get more orbs. His perfectionist nature made it so he had to have five stars on everything. Today’s bonus quest looked promising and setting down his coffee he started playing his game.

“ _ Inutil luptător… _ ” he groaned as the quest was not going well.

“You have a guest,” the intercom blared as Mard was baring fangs at his game.

“My first meeting isn’t until,” he checked his calendar and the time.

“Not on your schedule, I’ll send the update,” Nika added and Mard pushed the button on his desk to open the door. He looked at his phone, trying to complete the last few actions he needed when he took a sniff of the air, detecting the pomegranate and cloves, and froze.

“Hello, father,” he said.

“Good morning,  _ floare _ ,” Zeref walked into the office with a smile on his face and Mard felt his fingers shaking as his nerves ratched. His father was dressed simply in a pair of khaki pants, white flowing cotton shirt and sandals. His short black hair came up at odd directions and Mard looked into the same coal black eyes he has.

“I have told you numerous times about that name,” Mard grumbled despising that even at his advanced age his father called him flower. Well before his Thorns developed as his Curse power, Mard had a soft spot for gardening. It was time well spent with his mother and her love of horticulture had spilled over to him. He still maintained the flowers at her memorial because it was his time to talk to her even though he knew she could not hear him.

“It suits you, and now my son has found quite the little blossom of his own,” Zeref grinned.

Mard scowled, “I bought a bride, to try again to make you happy.”

His father still had that grin on his face, the one that made Mard’s skin crawl because it meant the man knew something. “She’s special isn’t she?”

“Jackal, is he sharing all of my intimate life events with you these days or is it the gossip whore of a poison demon?” 

“Tsk, tsk,  _ floare _ , no need to be rude,” Zeref sat down in one of the plush white chairs in front of his desk. He leaned back and rested his pointed chin in the palm of his hand as the elbow draped on the arm rest. Though his father had soften quite a bit in the last couple centuries, Mard knew better, he was still Hell’s Ruler and Vampire King.

Mard watched as his father pulled out his phone and held up a picture from last night. Lucy in his arms as she spoke about physics until they were both too relaxed to do anything but go to sleep. He enjoyed that first night with her and hoped tonight he could convince her to talk to him like again until he fell asleep, though much later in the night.

“Her name is Lucy, she’s a human girl, seventeen and I bought her recently because high society humans sell their children for marriage.”

“And?” Zeref leaned a little more forward in his chair, his eyes twinkling.

Mard clenched his jaw and crossed his arms in front of him, “and that is all.”

“ _ Floare _ , what else?”

“For all that is unholy what do you want?”

“Grandkids!” Zeref bounced up in his seat as his eyes lit up at the word.

Mard resisted the urge to face palm, “Merlin is due any day now, pester them.”

“No reason to, you’re the last one, my first born. You are well overdue and you need someone.”

“Like how you replaced mama?” Mard said and before he could blink his father had him by the throat and up against the wall. His eyes had gone full red as Mard could feel the claws dig into his neck.

“She was never replaced, I was alone, what would have had me do? Suffer more? Make you and Freed hurt more? You did not have to like that demoness but without her I would have hid for longer than the eighty years I took to mourn,” Zeref growled and Mard could feel the old man’s power radiating off of him. His father could kill him in a split second and Mard knew that but it was not going to stop old pains.

Both of their phones went off at the same time and Zeref released his grip. “Freed…” they said in unison before Mard took Zeref’s hand and they teleported away.

There were somethings in life Mard never wanted to see, his best friend naked with her legs spread as something large was barreling through her vagina was on that list. Here they were as she screamed and panted and Freed held her hand. Zeref wasted no time moving to sit beside the doula and offer his assistance. 

Mard shrugged as he walked around to Merlins otherside and kissed his friend cheek. “Oi! Bludgeon your brother for me,” she panted as her face contorted in pain.

“No, you like his pretty face, remember,” Mard chuckled as she took his hand and crushed it. His eyes went wide at the sensation as she smirked at him. It was still more pleasant that one of her glitter bombs.

He looked at his brother, the man’s whole focus was on his wife as he studied her face, as if he never wanted to forget or miss a detail of her. Mard had never seen Freed so in love as he was everytime he looked at his bride and part of Mard wondered if that was what it would truly be like.

Merlin grunted again and this time it was followed by a high pitched baby scream, “it’s a girl!” Zeref shouted.

“One down two more to go,” the doula said, Wendy, Mard thought her name was but he couldn’t be certain. She was a sky demon with exceptional healing powers, that much he could tell but feeling her power signature.

“Well, let’s get on wit it!” Merlin shouted and Mard couldn’t help but chuckle. “One day, Mard you’ll be puttin a pretty little thing through this.”

“Not any time soon…”

“He lies, he has a bride,” Zeref said as he peaked around from Merlin’s leg.

“She arrived yesterday, I believe. ” Freed said as he shifted his turquoise gaze to him. 

“You knew? Why was I the last one?” Zeref asked. 

“Father, I wrote the contract and as my twin would remind you, it was not your business,” said Freed with a chuckle as Mard nodded. “Brother mine, how is that going?”

“Merlin, next contraction I need you to push again,” Wendy said.

“Merlin is currently birthing your children and you want to talk about my love life?” Mard asked incredulously. He did not understand his family most days.

“Yes!” Merlin, Freed and Zeref all shouted in unison.

He face palmed, there was no stopping the motion. “You are all idiots, but only if this is will make Merlin feel better.”

“Getting these kids out would... _ fuck _ ...make me feel better but out wit it,” she said as she took in a breath before pushing again.

“Her name is Lucy, she’s human and she…” Mard searched inside of his own head to figure how to describe what he had been feeling. 

“Makes you feel alive, makes you feel like you are more than anything you have ever been,” Mard looked up at his brother and found himself slowly nodding, “there’s a warmth you have when you’re around her, you sleep better in her arms,” Freed pushed back Merlin’s sweat coated hair as she looked right at him, “she tastes like Heaven and feels like home. She knows your pain, your joy and she would stand up to your darkness to save you from it without a thought. You hate being away from her, you hate anything that could hurt her and you despise other people touching what you need to mark inside and out as yours.” His brother was always the wordsmith, an eloquent speaker who lived and breathed by poetry.

“Mard, you’re turning white, take a breath,” Merlin chuckled before she pinched his fingers in her grip. He locked eyes with her as she smiled and another baby cry punctured the air.

“It’s a boy!” Wendy called, “okay Merlin you’re doing beautifully.”

“Y-yes, and then there is a connection,” Mard said as things clicked into place and scared the shit out of him.

Freed kissed his wife’s forehead before turning back to look at him, “that’s the bonding, only your true bride has that ability. You’ll always sense each other and with your natural telepathy, I assume it will be as strong as what I share with Merlin. When you turn her the first several days will be as if you are in an endless mating frenzy. Though, I assume brother you are already having difficulties with not wanting to bed her.”

“Understatement, I almost committed the sin of breaking my word,” everyone, even Wendy, stopped to look at him. Mard knew his reputation, especially among his family was legendary for never breaking his word, though the trick was to always pay attention to the words he used. 

“What did you say?” Merlin asked before she bit her lip and her face scrunched up again.

“I told her I would not take her purity before the wedding,” Mard recalled. 

Freed looked at him with wide owl eyes and blinked slowly, “two weeks, you have what could be your true bride around you and you won’t touch her for two weeks?”

“Freed didn’t last two minutes when fate chose me as his bride,” Merlin chuckled and Mard grinned at the dual meaning, leave it to her to troll her own husband like that.

“Sixty thousand Jewels worth of damage to that bedroom,” Mard smirked as Freed dreamily smiled at his bride. 

“It was impetuous and I would have been an imbecile to resist it. It was the one moment of my life, that I was happy to be brash and take action. No matter how much against my nature it is,” his twin said. Freed was never one for direct action, always the planner and never willing to get his hands dirty, as it were.

“This situation with Lucy has been too sudden for me and I am,” he shivered, “uncomfortable.”

Zeref chuckled, “ _ Floare,  _ for you anything less than a decade is sudden.”

Wendy asked Merlin to push again and she did as Mard held her hand. “This is outside any form of comfort I have.”

“Share it Mard,” Merlin said her voice laced in pain and her expression stern. He knew what she meant, as a telepathic herself, they shared many stories silently. It was more efficient than passing notes in school. Mard could, replay his entire previous day with Lucy and let his family share in what he was thinking and feeling. All the things they said and did, how unholy beautiful she is when she’s excited and the warmth of her blood.

“Brother mine, you are blushing,”

“I am not, I do not blush,” He growled back noticing how Freed only gave him that little smirk of his when he knows he is right. “I will not share what I am analyzing, to respect her privacy.”

“Ah, possessive trait, that is good  _ Floare _ . Another push daughter,” Zeref said.

His family seemed to be sold on the notion that Lucy was his true bride. He just didn’t want to hold on to hope for that to be the case. There was no way they could know that for certain, then again he never discussed Jai with them and this was at a different emotional level for him. Yet, Mard just did not want to be wrong again but he knew he had to find out. Fear, Mard Geer was feeling fear and he truly detested that. The final scream broke Mard out of his head, “another boy!” 

Freed curled up into the bed to lay beside his bride as Merlin closed her eyes and relaxed. Mard watched as Zeref held two swaddled infants his eyes leaking tears all over his face. His father placed one of the little ones in his arms and he looked at the little pudgy face. He smiled as he saw a tuft of green hair like his brother’s poke out from under the pink cap. 

Mard froze as he stared at his niece, it was the oddest sensation and he felt himself sniffle to see this perfect little life. He took two steps back and held her against his chest, enjoying the soft blanket on his fingers and her little baby smell.

“What’s her name?” Mard asked.

“Maybe her uncle could choose it for her?” Freed said and Mard could not stop the grin that hit his features. 

“Luminita, little light,” he said as she opened her eyes at him. The were pale, just like her mother’s and she made a strange little expression as they gauged each other.

“Lumi, I love it Mard, thank you.” Merlin said as he brought his niece to her mother. He kissed Merlin’s forehead, and looked into her wet eyes. Mard could not have been more honored and he knew they had planned to let him name her. 

Zeref had hugged him and Mard reciprocated, their earlier argument left to the past. This was a wondrous event and he got to be here for his family. As they cooed over babies, Mard stepped aside to send Nika a message letting everyone know that in honor of his nephews and niece’s birth, all non-reapers, could enjoy the rest of the day. He got back a pile of smiling cat emojis.

Mard pursed his lips as he felt his brother’s hand on his shoulder. “Come, we have a tradition to adhere to,” he said and Mard was curious.

They walked outside to his stone garden where Freed had surprised him by handing him a finely made cigar. Mard accepted the gift and inhaled the fragrance, enjoying the robust fragrance of the tobacco. Zeref soon joined them as he held three snifters of brandy.

“Family dinner party will now be a lot more interesting,” Freed said as Mard clipped and lit his cigar.

“Truer words, never spoken, to you and Merlin,” Mard said holding up his glass in a toast.

After a couple minutes of enjoying the calm Mard noticed the matching smiles on his twin and father. He snarled a little, “out with it.”

“Go home, be with your bride,” Freed said, “I know what you’re feeling right now.”

“Do enlighten me,  _ oh wise one _ ,” Mard retorted.

“That you want your own little one to be holding on to right now and you want to know if she really is your true bride. Also, you’ve been restless lately because you are bored with yourself,” his brother said and Mard despised it when he pulled this trick. Freed didn’t have telepathy but he could read his emotions with high rate of accuracy.

“ _ Floare _ , you’re confused and feeling over your head. Lucy, can help you sort it out but be intelligent and less stubborn enough to let her,” Zeref said, “I can tell, this is completely different than…”

“Say her name and I will rip your head off, I’ve thought enough about her,” Mard warned.

“Then you’ve also analyzed, excuse me, you’ve started analyzing that this is completely different,” his twin stated.

“I’ve also considered that I could be wrong again or that…” a violent wave of nausea went through him as he felt as if he had been punched simultaneously in the gut and the head. Mard felt the world tilt for him and as he started to fall over his arm was pulled on and he toppled into his brother’s chest.

“You just considered the ‘what if she doesn’t want me’, denying your true bride will do that to you. I know you need to think and handle things by your own time, but do it with her,” Freed sighed. “Get out of here and we will see you Sunday.”

Mard pursed his lips, he had another question, “before I go…”

“The true bride calling doesn’t always lead to love, it’s a different emotion, that you can choose, this you cannot. Talk to Seilah, her bride is not her love.” Freed replied, his lips turned down in a frown.

“Speaking of the rest of the family,” Zeref said.

“Father, eventually, but let Merlin rest first. I respect our step-siblings but this is our moment, mama would have wanted it this way,” his twin added and Mard could only nod to agree.

“That is fair, though after two hundred and forty-two years, you two could make more of an attempt.”

“I cook for them once a month and I let Kyôka work for me, that is the attempt,” Mard snapped.

Zeref pinched his brow, “ _ Floare _ , it is appreciated. Cana is a wonderful demoness and yes, I know her children are interesting…”

“Ichiya has an obsession with smelling me, that is beyond annoying,” Mard groaned trying to not think about small deformed little creature.

“But brother, your parfume is so alluring,” Freed joked leaning over to put his nose near his waist, mimicking the demon's height. He pushed his brother away grumbling about him being an idiot.

“I will talk to her about him again, alright  _ Floare _ ?” Zeref asked and Mard could see the hopefulness in his eyes.

“I know you try, I have nothing against Cana but her brood….” He trailed off.

“I know,” he pursed his lips, “Cana would be hurt but do you not want your siblings there for Sunday dinner?”

“Might be a bit much for a young human,” Freed said as he looked back at Mard, “brother dear, are you planning on showing her the Underworld? Teach her our language? Start demonology lessons?”

“I plan on it, I want to wait till after the turning. So far she has proven to be handling my existence with a degree of acceptance.” Mard thought back to her string theory discussion and let his shoulders drop a bit as he relaxed into hearing her voice enter his thoughts, “yet with her gift for science she grasped the concepts of different planes without so much as a flinch.”

Zeref and Freed exchanged smiles before his brother opened his mouth to speak, “we keep detaining you, go home brother. I need to go tend to my babies. Father, want to help for the day?”

“Poet, I plan on moving in for the first few months,” Zeref said with a broad grin on his face. Freed’s eyes widened at the declaration as his mouth fell open. Mard took this as his cue to leave.

“While Freed adjusts to his shock,” he chuckled, “send me back home, father?”

Zeref hugged his son and within the span of a second Mard was sent back home. It should have been his home but for all that is unholy why was he ankle deep in bubbles? Whose underwear was hanging from the chandelier?

* * *

 

Translations:

_ Inutil luptător = useless fighter _

_ Sciitor  _ = Writer

 

Thanks to GemNika for the OC...love ya sis!

Please Kudos and comment!

 


	6. Bubbles

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail

* * *

Lucy enjoyed breakfast with everyone after Mard and Gajeel left. As she sat back and enjoyed her coffee, she looked over at Cobra who was working on what looked like a crossword puzzle. His thin lips were pursed as he tapped the pencil on the paper. She leaned over and took a look; her eyes went wide for a moment before she pulled back shaking her head.

"You don't speak our language, one day you can help," he said as he chewed the pencil eraser.

"What language is it?" she asked, not recognizing any of the strange shapes that look somewhat like normal letters but with extra flourishes on them.

"Infernai," Silver added as he stood up to clear the table.

"What's that?"

"Language of people like us, demons, vampires and all of that," Cobra said as he made a few more marks into his puzzle.

"Mard's a vampire, aren't you all vampires?" Lucy asked.

"Nope, Sunshine I'm a demon, poison type."

"Where's your horns?" she asked, not quite getting this, he didn't look weird. Okay, so his ears kind of reminded her of an elf and he had a little bit of fang going on but nothing that screamed demon.

Cobra guffawed, "oh shit, most demons don't actually look like that. Hey dog breath, show her your tail."

Lucy's eyes widened as Jackal came over to her, he put his head down, "that's not hair those are my ears and yes, I have a tail. I'm an explosion demon." She reached out slowly with her hand and touched the tip of his ear, it flickered, and she touched it again. It took less than ten seconds for Lucy to decide to scratch behind his ear like a puppy. To her amazement, Jackal shut his eyes and his tongue rolled out for a moment as he smiled.

"See now you did it Sunshine," Cobra said.

"You're so cute and wow your fur is soft," Lucy giggled as she pulled her hand back.

"Heh thanks," Jackal said with a wide grin. She watched as he removed his outer jacket before his hands went behind him and he started fidgeting. After a few seconds, a long puffy tail started wagging behind him and Lucy knew her eyes were wide. "And please don't pull on it, that hurts."

"Don't stroke it either or he'll ruin his pants," Cobra added with a smirk.

"Don't…" it took Lucy a bit to get the joke but when she did her cheeks flushed as she thought about what it was like to stroke Mard in the shower.

"Wait, you're a virgin? Holy shit, like you have no clue?" Jackal asked with the strangest grin on his face.

"Why are you going to sacrifice me?" Lucy asked, not certain if she was making a joke or not.

"Hey Silver, you got that recipe for virgin tartar?" Cobra called out and Lucy gulped.

"Cobra, she's a young human," Silver looked at her and for a moment Lucy felt safe till he winked, "which means she'll be extra tasty."

Lucy jumped out of her chair and took a few steps back her hands up defensively. The three men or demons, she reckoned, all gave her smiles and she slowly backed up. Her back hit the wall and she made a sign of the cross with her fingers, at that point the room exploded in laughs.

"She's adorable, a nice compliment to the seriousness that is Mard," Silver said.

"I know, so glad we get to keep her," Jackal added, and Lucy tilted her head.

"Come on Sunshine, you gotta get used to our sense of humor around here. You're family now," Cobra said as he put his arm around her shoulders. Lucy found herself giggling at this moment and starting to feel like she could have fun here.

"Didn't you want to start in the library?" Jackal asked.

"The main library, so the castle holds a total of four libraries and try to keep up Sunshine," Cobra said as he pulled her along. Lucy pulled out of his grip and turned to look at Silver.

"Thank you for breakfast," she said with a bow.

"Hey, no problem kid. Go have fun and I'll see you for lunch," he replied as he grabbed two more empty trays from the table.

Lucy followed Cobra as they walked down a hallway, she just could not get over all the white marble. She didn't know everything about building material costs, but she knew that marble was not cheap and especially not for this much of it. The artwork also really impressed her, it was a mixture of mythical scenes and floral paintings. If she had to guess they were all but telling a story, perhaps Mard's story.

"So the castle has been around for over two hundred years. Mard designed most of it and hand picked out pretty much everything you see. Though I'm sure if you ask nicely you'll get to add in your own touches," Cobra said as they headed towards two massive doors. He gave what looked like a gentle push and as they swung open, Lucy had to shield her eyes from the light.

They walked into a large library, it made the one at the Heartfilia Estate look small by comparison. She looked up and noticed that it went up four floors, almost every inch of wall space was taken up by books peppered with windows for natural light. The scent of the room made her smile, she could smell old pages for as strange as that sounded even in her own head.

"Wow, you could get lost in here and he's got three more?" she asked as she walked over to a well-worn large black leather reading chair.

"They are about half the size. The boss has a reading passion, but I think you get that," the poison demon added as Lucy nodded.

For a moment she could picture Mard sitting in the chair she was running her hand against the back of. How he would look with his nose in a book, as he sat comfortably lost in its pages. She bet he moved around a lot as he read judging by the extra wide seat. Then again, she also bet he'd probably had a lot of sex in this chair too and she found her fingers curling in agitation at the thought.

"Whatever you are thinking, you're probably wrong," Cobra said, and Lucy blinked at him.

Lucy threw her hands up in the air as she glared at the one-eyed demon. "Ugh! Are you in my head too?"

"Nope, but you were clawing at his chair and your soul music is getting a bit on the heavy metal side of life," he replied, and Lucy blinked.

"Soul music?" she repeated.

"It's his trick, he hears people's souls," Jackal said, and Lucy really didn't understand.

"Let me guess you're feeling jealous right now, thinking Mard has had other women in here," Cobra said, and Lucy felt her face set on fire.

"Damn, that's a yes, it's cool Sunshine. You're allowed a little jealousy, but here's a fun fact you'll like," Cobra walked over to her and put his lips by her ear, "you're the first I've known of that he brought into his personal bed, not a guest room and he wouldn't dare have sex in one of his libraries. He'd panic over bodily fluids on his books."

"No, I mean he has a cheesy sex mirror over his bed. That's a lie," she said, and Cobra bit his lip as his cheeks puffed out and his shoulders shook. He was trying to hold his laughter in, that much was certain, but Lucy was so clueless about this.

Eventually, the demon let it out as he bent forward and slapped his knees in a good powerful laugh. She fumed as Cobra kept laughing until he finally stood straight again and started sucking in deep breaths. "Oh fuck, that was cute. That mirror isn't for sex, it's a security thing. When he wakes up he can look up in the mirror and instantly see the entire bedroom. You didn't notice?"

"What?" she asked her voice a bit higher pitched in her shock.

"Yeah, come on," he pulled her hand and Lucy followed along as he led her out of the library. She tried to take a mental map of the place as they walked but soon enough she found herself right back into the room they shared.

Cobra pushed her into the bed, "alright, Mard sleeps in the middle usually, so get comfy and look up."

Lucy moved over and got into place she closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, she noticed Cobra was right, you could see the entire room and if she looked along its edges it was slightly curved. She was so preoccupied with staring at Mard's naked ass this morning, she didn't take in the whole picture.

"That little trick is an old one, sure we have heightened senses, but you can't detect everything, like if it has no scent. There are certain species that can only be seen by way of their reflection," Cobra said, and Lucy threw her arm over her eyes and felt like a moron. No wonder he was upset at her calling it cheesy.

"I'm such an idiot," she groaned.

"Nope, you ain't, just inexperienced," Jackal said.

"Shit, we should get to the stables, got a message from Bixy," Cobra said, and Lucy sat up.

"I wanted to meet him, is his horse okay?" she asked as she climbed out of the large bed.

"Poppo is fine, fever broke but he's hungry wants some breakfast."

"I'll run ahead and meet you there," Jackal offered, and she watched him whip right out of the room.

"He's such a fucking puppy," Cobra shook his head as he politely held out his arm for her.

"Thanks, I feel silly," she said as they walked.

"Hey, this is why he wanted me as your personal butler. You need a good old-fashioned smartass antique man to hang out with and help you out. Mard's really a good vampire, he's just intense but he smiles around you, that's pretty awesome," Cobra said with a smile on his face as they descended the staircase.

"Cause I'm his bride?" she asked.

"Hell, even if you weren't, we'd still all be all loving on you. You know how hard it is to find just like good people?" he said as they walked through the dining room again and towards the patio.

"To not eat?"

"High five me Sunshine!" He held his hand up and Lucy promptly slapped it, making them both laugh. "See you got this, our world is a little different, but you find out pretty quickly that hanging with us isn't that much different than normal humans."

"And you're going to help me with that?" she asked.

"And a pile of other things, get used to this fine ass, you'll be laughing with it for a long time," he said with a one-eyed wink.

"Cobra, what does  _puşti_ mean? Mard keeps calling me that," Lucy asked hoping she pronounced it correctly.

"You gotta work on your pitch a little, but not bad for a first attempt. It means brat," he said with a shrug as Lucy pursed her lips and her brows pinched. Cobra stopped and looked at her before he let out a breath, "don't read too much into it, there are worse things he could call you."

"I'm not a brat," Lucy said as she huffed, and Cobra raised a brow. She turned red as she realized what she just did, of course, Mard would see her as one because she was obviously capable of being one. As she said to herself on the way here, if he wants to buy a teenager, he can have one.

"Just a little?" Cobra asked as he held his thumb and index finger close together.

"Yeah," Lucy conceded.

"Hey, you're adjusting, it'll be fine and I'm sure after a while either the nickname becomes a joke between you two or he finds something he likes better," he shrugged and to Lucy it made sense. She felt a little bit better.

They crossed the courtyard, this time to head towards the right instead of straight through like she did when Mard took her out to the garden. Lucy noticed something strange as they walked and for a moment she stopped. Cobra looked at her and Lucy backed up, looked around her, moved forward and backed up again.

"Are the roses following me?" she asked and watching their blooms they seemed to bend slightly in her direction.

"They might be, you have to remember, they are extensions of Mard's magic, figures they would look at you like mommy," he shrugged.

"Has that ever happened before?" Lucy asked.

"No, I've been with Mard now for fuck three hundred years," he started whispering and playing with his fingers before he nodded, "yeah about that long and to date I've never seen a rose follow anyone but him or one of us if we have food and they are hungry."

"Do I want to know what they eat?"

"Probably not, but it's okay it's not like we steal little kids from orphanages or something," Lucy pursed her lips as Cobra laughed and she decided he was just picking on her. She hoped.

After a moment and getting over the fact she was being watched by roses they made it to the stables. Against the side of the building was a strange looking man in a blue outfit complete with little skulls on it. He had wild blue-black hair and a person on his face? Lucy wasn't certain, but she figured he was probably some kind weird demon.

"Hey hey Coby and is this our new family member? Bring it on in little lady," he set down his plate of food and opened his arms. He had a big smile on his face and Lucy liked that straight away. She gave him a hug and he was really good at it, it was a nice fluid motion with just the right level of tightness.

"Lucy," she said.

"Bickslow, damn happy to meet ya, you like ponies?" he asked.

"Always wanted a unicorn," Lucy beamed.

"Aw, hell yeah, me too."

"Wait, you mean to tell me unicorns aren't real, but demons and vampires are?" she asked with a bit of a pout.

"Sorry Sunshine, the last one died about a century ago, Zeref was pissed because his wife loves them," Cobra added and Lucy frowned.

"That blows, wait I thought Mard said his mom died?" she asked, changing subjects.

"His stepmom, Cana, she's this crazy little party demoness with a big heart and drinks like a fucking sailor. Mard's okay with her, it's her brood, he has issues with," Bickslow said before he shoved more pancakes in his mouth.

"Just the short one with the unbreakable curse on him, the girls are alright. Though don't sweat it Sunshine you'll meet the family soon enough," Cobra said. Lucy nodded and figured he was right if she recalled correctly Sunday was family dinner.

"Can I see the horses when you finish eating Bickslow?" Lucy asked.

He swallowed what was in his mouth, let out a burp and nodded at her, "let's go. Now, do you ride?"

Lucy shook her head, "always wanted to learn but father wouldn't let me."

"Ain't no thang, I gots this. Pippi is the sweetest little mare I have. We'll start tomorrow and teach you how to ride. For today let's just get you used to being around a horse, how to brush a mane and make a friend," Bixy said his tongue rolling out as he smiled at her.

"Really?" Lucy was genuinely excited in this moment, as she bounced around on the balls of her feet. She was going to learn how to ride a horse, man she loved it here.

"Yep," he opened the stable door and ushered her inside.

"Gonna run the plate back to the house, have fun!" Jackal called out with a wave.

"See you, Jackal!" Lucy said. She got inside and looked down the center row, the stable felt like it stretched on forever. Bickslow took her hand and lead her about midway down and she saw a beautiful chestnut colored mare staring at her.

"This is Pippi, Pippi this is my new friend, Lucy," Bickslow said as he pulled open the gate and walked in. His hand up to Lucy, she got the hint to remain still. While he soothed the horse, Lucy took a look around for a moment, she noticed something about the far end of the stable.

"What horse is behind there? Lucy pointed in the direction of a pair of doors locked with a thick chain.

"Mard's horse, do not go in there, Reaper hates, and I mean hates, everyone but Mard," Bickslow said to her. Lucy gave him a nod in understanding though her curiosity was eating at her. She wanted to see Mard's personal stallion and see the kind of horse that a vampire could handle and could him.

A sound of a crack startled Lucy and the men around her, Pippi flicked her head back and took several steps in reverse. Another crack and Lucy stared at the doors containing the forbidden steed.

_Come to me._  A voice filtered in her head and Lucy felt a pull towards the chained doors. It called again and without her permission, her feet started to move.

"No!" shouted Bickslow as he grabbed her. Lucy could only see him as fuzzy before her, the calling in her head was annoying her, and she desperately wanted to open those doors.

Cobra said something clipped and in a menacing tone to Bickslow and he released his grip.

_Come, bride…_  it called again.

Lucy moved through the mental haze around her as her handed stretched out to touch the worn door. Her fingertips brushed the chains and they fell to the ground before the door burst open.

She found herself staring into red eyes, the pallid horse before her intimidating in its size. Lucy stepped forward, hand still outstretched as she reached for its velvet muzzle.

The air around her thick with her friends' dread but she did not fear the beast before her. She smiled as her fingers grazed its snout. The horse moved, thrusting forward it shoved against her hand and its nostrils flared as she touched him. Time stopped as she could feel its power cocoon around her body held her still.

_Thank you_ , it said, and Lucy smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Reaper," she replied. She stood there petting the horse for a while until she heard a large crack of thunder. Lucy jumped back and let out a small shriek.

Storms had always scared her, ever since she was a little girl, the pure raw fury of mother nature was frightening. It also didn't help that her mother died during a storm and the first time he father hit her was during one as well. Lucy couldn't associate anything but pain with a thunderstorm and she hid from them every chance she could.

Another crack of thunder and she curled into a ball and covered her ears. Strong arms wrapped around her as she shook. "Hey, Sunshine, it's okay. I'm gonna get you into the castle. You don't have to say anything, it's cool. I know storms freak out Jackal too."

Lucy was surprised that the horses didn't seem to be making any kind of noises or anything. She always thought horses spooked for things like this. Instead, the only scaredy cat here was her and she held on to Cobra as he carried her.

They ran through the rain as Cobra took her into the castle, Lucy was soaked but she didn't care. She just didn't want to be out near the thunder and lightning, instead, she was now safely inside as her butler carried her up the stairs, dripping water along the way. Cobra took her into the bathroom she shared with Mard.

"Alright get dried off, I'll bring you a drink and we'll find something to do," he said, and Lucy wanted to remind him that she was too young to drink but right now, she didn't care.

She got out of her wet clothes and wrapped herself in a towel. The thunder let out another deafening crack and she wished it would stop. Lucy didn't want her day ruined because of her fear, she was loving all of it.

It didn't take long before Cobra came back in he had changed into another butler's outfit and brought her a glass of cranberry juice. Lucy took it with a shaky smile and as she sipped it, she noticed it was strong. She gave him a look as her nose scrunched up, "what's this?"

"Cranberry juice, vodka, a twist of lime, just drink it and I think Jackal came up with an idea for you to have some indoor fun but you gotta be brave," he said with a mischievous smile.

She lifted her glass, "here's to bravery," and she downed the drink. After that Cobra made her another and as she started feeling fuzzy she wasn't quite thinking about the storm outside.

Lucy stood in the hallway next to Jackal as they wore swimsuits, she could not believe what they had done. Jackal assured her it was going to be fine, that they had done this before and for her first time she should be glad Bickslow wasn't here because he was the best at this game.

The floors were recently waxed so Cobra removed the carpet runners, added some dish soap and some water. This was insane Lucy never thought of something like this but with the drink in her hand, she didn't have to think. The rule was best two out of three, you had to make it the furthest down the hallway on your belly.

"Alright, here I go!" Jackal cackled as he ran forward before flopping to his belly and he took off down the hall. Lucy clapped and cheered as he flew by Cobra before he slid to the side and hit the wall, bouncing off it before he hit the other side and then stopped.

"See how it works, your turn!" Cobra called out and Lucy could not wait to try this. She did as Jackal did and she sailed down the hallway laughing all the way. This was fun, just letting motion do its thing and she had never laughed so hard in her life.

Jackal caught her before she hit into a wall and Lucy curled into his fuzziness. They giggled at each other as she tried to get up and thank goodness Cobra was right there to help her.

"Alright now, that was the test run, now it gets real! Contestants take your position!" Cobra announced and wow he could have been a real announcer on TV or something. Jackal took her hand and helped her get back to the end of the hallway, the floor was way too slick for her.

Jackal took off and this time she noticed as he went by Cobra, the demon bent over and grabbed something. Much to Lucy's laughter, she realized he grabbed Jackal's bright green swim trunks and he tossed them in the air. She covered her mouth as she let out a wild laugh as they were caught on the chandelier.

"My turn!" Lucy shouted as she stood at the end of the long hallway.

She polished off the last of her cranberry juice, feeling light-headed and full of wicked fun ideas. Lucy put the glass down, ran a few steps and flopped on her stomach. The bubbles and water splashing all over her as she tried to watch where she was sliding. All she had to do was make it past the Monet painting and she would win this round!

Lucy blinked, someone was in the middle of her path, she wrapped her arms around her head and crashed straight into a pair of legs. She knocked him down and wound up rolling down the hallway until her person crashed into the wall with a loud thump.

Lucy was dazed and confused as she peaked her head up from the dress pants covered crotch she was smothering. Her poor victim let out a moan and she scrambled to sit up and help whoever hit the wall hard enough, she swore she heard it crack.

"Omigawd!" she half slurred as she straddled her poor victim. Wiping away the mass pile of bubbles from his head she looked down into the deadliest glare she had ever seen.

Mard's face contorted as his nose scrunched up, his eyes half closed and his lips peeling back to reveal fangs. He opened his mouth to speak and Lucy bit her bottom lip as Cobra started shouting from down the hallway.

Then it happened, Mard let out a sneeze, bubbles rushed out of his nose and dotted all over her chest. His hands went over his mouth as he groaned into his hands. Lucy's eyes widened at the sudden realization as he let out muffled, what she assumed, were curse words.

"I bit muh tong…" he growled, and Lucy covered her mouth to try and stop the laughter that was rising to the surface. Her body shook on top of him as she saw his wide eyes filled with moisture. Mard was laying a pile of bubbles complaining that he, a vampire no less, bit his tongue was overwhelming and that laughter she wanted to stop came out.

Her eyes screwed shut and her head dropped back as she laughed like a crazy person. Lucy could not believe that this was happening and that warm fuzzy feeling inside of her didn't care who she was laughing at. She felt hands grab her bare waist and she could only laugh harder at how it tickled.

"Thop laffung…" Mard said but with his inability to speak properly it only made her howl. He tightened his grip on her waist, but it only tickled her more and Lucy fell off to the side, her laughter louder than before.

"S-Stop….pl-please…." she cried out as she fought to be able to breathe.

"Thith wath not funny," he growled as his fingers kept torturing her sides with their murderous tickle attempt.

"I'm…" she panted through her giggle fit, "gonna pee!"

"Ah boss, you're tickling her," Cobra said, "she's also had several Cape Cods today, keep it up and she will piss all over you."

His hands let go of her waist as Lucy scrambled to try and get to her feet. The floor too slick, every attempt had her falling into strange body shapes. She crashed her face into the floor, enough that it stung, and she was certain it was going to bruise as it started killing her happy buzz. Wet arms wrapped around her and she found herself being lifted off the floor. Lucy realized it was Mard that had her as he walked her over to a guest bathroom.

"Thank you," she giggled.

"Do not thank me yet," he said his jaw set and gaze fixed ahead. Lucy looked over her shoulder where Cobra was making a motion of the cross, his eyes looked troubled. Mard set her down and she rushed into the bathroom, locking the little door before she went to handle her business.

She milled around in there, hoping maybe Mard would forget about her crashing into him or the chaos they created. Lucy could hear his booming voice but had zero clue what he said. All she could figure was that her friends were now in trouble.

He pounded on the door, "come out,  _puşti_."

Lucy gulped and took several steps back before sinking down to the ground next to the toilet. She was afraid as his forceful attacks on the door was causing the wood to crack. "No…"

"Now,  _puşti_ ," he demanded. The destruction on the door continued for a few moments before it all went quiet. Lucy didn't know what was going on, but she had no desire to leave. Mard could obliterate that door at any moment and she knew this was foolish of her.

* * *

Cobra could not believe his luck, Mard came home a bit early and he just appeared here? This was not how it was supposed to go and on top of it Lucy crashed into him and they went flying down the hallway. It took every last bit of willpower he had to not laugh at the accident and especially not when he watched Mard sneeze bubbles all over Sunshine.

Now the vampire was truly pissed and to be fair he had the right, but he didn't know everything. "Mard, stop, there's things you need to know," Cobra said as Mard whirled around on him and glared.

"What?" he asked his fangs bared and lips pulled into a deadly snarl.

There were several interesting things that happened today he could tell Mard to make him stop but there was only one thing of high importance. "Reaper called her and let her pet him," Cobra said a half smirk on his face as he watched Mard's jaw drop.

"Repeat that," he commanded. The poison demon knew that would get his attention first before he went on to talk about the fact that she's drunk and a few other things he learned about her today.

"Sure boss, I'll even go slow," he clicked his tongue, "Reaper. Called. Her. Lucy. Pet. Pony."

"Was the condescension necessary?" Mard asked.

"You've known me for how long? It's a permanent trait and you wouldn't adore this fine ass as much if I wasn't a snarky bastard, like you," Cobra shot back with a chuckle.

"I want the details, now you will tell me about everything," Mard said and the poison demon braced himself for the mental rape. Cobra relaxed his mind and opened up to the memories of the day, even the impressions of the music of her soul as they hung out.

Mard stared straight into him, his power rolling off of him as Cobra felt mental claws rip into his skull. He reminded himself to relax as he watched the day repeat itself on fast forward. The experience wasn't pleasant, but he watched the vampire's face shift several times in various emotions. That was good, it meant he saw many of the same puzzling and hopeful things out of Lucy that Cobra did.

"What do I do?" Mard asked and Cobra was surprised by the naked honesty of his voice. He was confused, and everyone knew that not was that rare but it one of his least favorite emotions.

"Be nice to her, she's scared, having fun, making the most of a shit situation, adjusting to you and a bit drunk. You harm her, you'll take all of that and ruin it for her, which will ruin it for you."

"What do you mean, ruin it for me?" to his credit Mard looked utterly confused.

"I love you, like a brother but you, sir, are randomly a fucking moron for being King of the Underworld." Mard let out a growl and it reminded Cobra that he was on the very edge of what Mard would reasonably handle for impolite conversation. "You like the feels she has if she mentally locked away, goodbye happy fun unicorn parade! Also, when you turn her, you'll forever have a weak version of the bride you could have if you would just be nice. I know you're capable of it."

_I know you're listening,_ Cobra thought figuring that for everything he needed to say it was best to do it where there was absolutely no chance of anyone hearing.  _So, either you do the right thing or I tell Jackal about how you stayed up with him for four fucking days straight when he had his first ear infection, and while teething. I'll even tell him about all the baby food you handmade for him and that I know where you keep his old baby blanket as a memento._

_You. Would. Not!_

_I fucking would,_ Cobra grinned _, after telling Merlin._  The look of horror on Mard's face was priceless and he wished he had a camera.

"You do know I can just kill you, I do not appreciate blackmail or the way to talk to me," Mard said but Cobra noticed that his face had softened.

"Yep, you could but you won't because of shit like this. I'm the closest fucking thing you have a shoulder angel and Sunshine likes me," Cobra said.

"Then who do I punish for my humiliation and the damage to my floors?" Mard asked and it was fair, in his worldview he needed to have rules in place.

"Bitch at me then, I said this was fine. I had a scared human and Jackal still whimpers at storms, and this was the best I could come up with to let two kids have some fun away from the rain," Cobra said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"You will clean this up and I am revoking your ice cream privileges for one month," Mard said and Cobra gulped. It was the nicest punishment he could hand out, but it still sucked, no ice cream for one month? Fuck why not just shoot him in the head now?

"Yes, sir, now, let me see if I can get Sunshine to come out for you. We cool now?" he asked as he stepped over to the locked door.

Mard put his hand on his shoulder and gave Cobra a firm nod, the demon knew that meant that things were cool and Mard appreciated him. With that vampire, it was always the details that mattered and Cobra learned to read him a long time ago. Though he suspected that with Sunshine around he was going to have to learn new ways to read his boss.

* * *

Cobra knocked at the door, "hey, Sunshine, bossman is cool now, you can come on out."

"No," she said.

"Come on," Cobra pursed his lips and turned to look at Mard. "Hey, why not go get cleaned up, this is going to take a few minutes. Might better if you aren't here."

"You have five before I inflict damage to my own home," Mard said with a light growl. He wanted this situation over with and his bride in his arms. Most importantly he didn't want her afraid anymore, the scent of it was galling and he could feel it like small cuts all along his skin.

Mard walked down the hallway, thanking the unholy for his balance. The floor was extremely slippery, and he hoped the bubbles would not damage the finish. Then again Cobra will be covering all the cleanup and any repairs for this mess.

He also couldn't wait to tell Lucy about his nephews and niece being born today. Speaking of them he checked his phone and as he thought he had fifty new MMS messages. Mard started thumbing through all the images that were sent of the triplets, he couldn't stop the smile on his face.

Merlin sent him a message that she was fine and wanted to take Lucy out at some point, just the girls. He knew that meant he was going to get a night with the babies. Perhaps as a bride herself Merlin could explain some things from the other side, it could be a wonderful idea. In between peeling out of pieces of his soaked suit, he arranged with Merlin that they could go have dinner out next week. She was thrilled if the overabundance of happy emojis wasn't a clue.

Mard started a nice hot bath, trying to be cognizant of the temperature. Lucy was still human and could scald her beautiful skin at his usual comfort level. He did not want that, no instead with the tension in his shoulders from crashing into the wall while trying to shield her, he wanted a massage.

He added in a little rose oil and salts to the bath as he waited for his bride. Mard didn't want to have to go get her and scare her again but he was tired of not having her by his side. Perhaps his family had a point and he should sit down and do a proper analyzation of the things around him.

The things he pulled from Cobra had surprised him, nothing around his world had ever reacted to another potential bride as things did around Lucy. He also relished in her jealousy, just like a vampire to feel that one so intensely. Mard knew he would have ripped the heads off of any male who had previously sexually touched his bride. Though Cobra was not wrong in what he said to her, Mard never even brought Jai into his personal bedroom but Lucy just fit into his world. In all of his world.

He was ready to grab a robe and get her, as time was up when he heard a timid little cough. Mard looked up and straight at his half-naked shivering little bride. There wasn't anything to say, so he crossed the distance and put his arms around her. She sniffled into his chest as he pet her wet hair.

"I ran us a bath," Mard said and he delighted when she looked up at him. Those coffee-colored eyes drank him in.

"You aren't mad?" she asked, her voice a tiny little squeak.

"No,  _puşti_ , not at you," he said as he guided her to the large sunken bathtub. Lucy let him strip her and he admitted he liked the little bikini, but his preference was her naked.

"Mard, I know what that means, and I don't like being called a brat," she said, and he smirked a little.

"When you find moments to not act like one, I will find something better," he said as he got into the tub and immediately pulled Lucy into his lap. Just holding her had an instant effect on him and Mard felt whole again. It also helped that she no longer felt and smelt like fear.

"You're impossible," she groaned as she put her nose into the crook of his neck.

"Yes, but you like me all the same," Mard said with a smile before he kissed her forehead.

Lucy snorted, "you're so full of yourself."

"It is not hubris when you are correct, now, someone sent me flying into a wall and for that, she owes me a shoulder massage," Mard said as he traced small circles on her hip.

"Must I always serve you?" she groaned.

"Funny, I was asking myself the same thing," Mard retorted, enjoying this little banter.

"When do you serve me?"

"More often than you think, I just do not wait for your commands," Mard replied.

"Mard, I highly doubt anything in this world ever commands you," Lucy giggled, and he loved to hear it.

"There is a beautiful blonde-haired girl who does, she just has not figured out her own power yet," Lucy pulled back and nibbled her bottom lip. "Massage my shoulders while you think about it."

Lucy rolled her eyes, "yes, Sire."

She set to work, and Mard felt himself relax into her touch as she worked through the tension. As Lucy tended to him Mard opened and began to freely speak about his day. Well most of it, he didn't want to get into his family's love advice and wasn't ready to tell her about what it means to be King of the Underworld.

Those were all things he could save for later, first he should set up some ground rules with Cobra over what he is allowed to teach her and what he should not. Later, right now, Mard Geer just wanted to enjoy his massage and talk to his budding rose blossom, his Rosebud.

* * *

"Oh, now that's fun," Jose said into the phone, "Tartaros himself, lovely." He scribbled down several notes as he listened to his employer speak. "By next week, I can arrange that."

The call disconnected, and he looked up from his desk at his two waiting minions. "Mard Geer Tartaros apparently has swindled our beloved benefactor. That vampire has one Lucy Heartfilia, do what you need to, kill what you need to, but bring her here."

"Juvia will capture her," the blue-haired rain woman said as Jose handed her a photograph of the pretty little teen girl.

"Oh, she's hawt! Hope she doesn't burn me," Totomaru said as he laughed at his joke.

"Do not fail me, do not let that monster follow you. Mard Geer Tartaros is the King of the Underworld for a reason. We just need her till he pays what he owes," Jose said to his associates. He waved his hand and they left his little office. Sitting back, he smiled, if they could outwit Tartaros, then he could use that to advance his own mercenary company.

Then again, Mard Geer was an asshole and taking that pretty vampire down a few pegs would be worth it. The only concern was that vampire's actual day job but it's not as if Jose had a soul for Death to reap.

* * *

 

_Picturing Mard sneezing bubbles had me giggling for like hours after I wrote that scene. LOL_

Please don't forget to  **Comment and Kudos**! 

_Up next... Family Dinner and Uncle Natsu_


	7. Family and their Drama

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

**_Warning, Mard gets rough/sexually forceful with Lucy in this chapter. As a reminder, he's a sadist, so as much as I love snarky Mard, he does have a bit of a dark side to him too._ **

* * *

 

Lucy could not believe the scene happening around her as she sat up on a counter and nursing a cup of coffee she watched Mard and Silver work around the kitchen. Cobra and Jackal went hunting this morning, which lead to Mard having to explain that no, humans are only for special treats not the monthly family dinner. She wasn't certain if he was trolling her, he might have been.

Silver and Mard chatted back and forth as they gathered ingredients and though this should have been a normal domestic scene, listening them speak in Infernai made it anything but normal. Lucy was still trying to figure out how the man made a chef's apron look so damn sexy over his tailored dark purple shirt and black jeans. The little touch of red embroidery, his initials and a rose on the upper left corner was elegant. Though she would get him one that said something cheesy about how the chef sucks.

Lucy set down her cup, "Mard, what are you making for dinner tonight?"

He turned his attention to her and Lucy gulped at the size of the cleaver in his hand. "Depends on what Cobra and Jackal come back with, could be pheasant, venison, bear, some kind of fish or whatever else is currently in the woods."

She felt much better at that, but she hadn't had fresh wild animal before, not counting fresh lobster or other fish. "Oh, and you butcher it too?"

"The cleaver is not just a wonderful fashion accessory. Now, while you sit there how about we do something mentally stimulating?" Mard asked as he set down the cleaver and walked to her. He took his coffee mug and took a sip, by now Lucy figured he was on his eighth cup.

"What do you have in mind?" she asked, watching how he licked his bottom lip to capture the drop of dark roast on it.

"At the very least you should learn proper Infernai greetings, so we shall play a game."

Lucy arched a brow, "I love games, okay so what do I do?"

"I will teach you a greeting and you repeat it to me, if you mispronounce it I get to bite you. If you pronounce it correctly you can bite me," he said, a devilish smile on his face.

"You get to bite me with or without fangs? I wasn't a juice box this morning for you… yet," Lucy said enjoying the banter with her sexy vampire.

Mard leaned against her and pressed his nose against her neck, making Lucy shiver on the countertop. "You will have to play the game to find out, Rosebud."

She slowly blinked at the little name, "Rosebud?"

Mard chuckled and nipped her ear lobe, "I decided Friday night that the name suits you better, when you are not being my little  _puşti_."

Lucy turned her head and looked into his midnight eyes, "I like that, Sire." She could feel his pleasure with her statement wrap around her and Mard treated her to a toe curling kiss on the counter.

"Fuck, there's eighty-six other rooms, pick another one," Lucy heard Cobra's sarcasm and giggled against Mard's lips.

Mard shook his head, "he forgets that I own all of them."

"No, he just enjoys being an ass," Lucy tucked a strand of his dark plum hair behind his ear. Her vampire stepped away from her and she saw what they were bringing in. It was huge and smelled funny, Lucy pinched her nose and wished she didn't need to breathe like Mard.

"Ah, bear, wonderful and we just came out of blueberry season, the meat should be very sweet." Mard said and Lucy could hear the excitement in his voice. Since she had no idea what he was talking about, she just decided to go with his judgement that this would be good food.

"I also managed to find a few quail," Jackal said as he held up a bunch of dead birds upside down.

"You both did well on the hunt today," Mard said his pride filling the room. Lucy did like that she could feel him, but only his happy or lusty emotions when he was angry about the hallway slip up, that emotion she detested.

Cobra and Jackal took the dead animal through the kitchen and Lucy was glad to not see it. Mard pilfered the string of quails from Jackal's shoulder and he took them to the sink. Silver moved over a large green trash can and the men rolled up their sleeves. She watched, not really a whole lot from her position, just shoulder movements and some random feathers flying in the air as the men worked. It took maybe all of five minutes before Mard was laying out freshly plucked, headless, hollow and washed quail on a baking sheet. Her only complaint, wishing she hadn't seen Silver scoop out a pile of what was most likely organs and dump them in the bin.

"The organs are ground up and used as rose food, offal is a wonderful ingredient for many dishes, but tonight's meal doesn't require them," Mard said and Lucy had to remind herself that he could read her mind and did it quite often. "We have to get the bear butchered and I know my Rosebud would find that distasteful. Why not go see Bickslow and the horses? We can play our little game after."

Lucy smiled at him and bounced off the counter before walking to him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Mard smiled at her, gave her butt a playful swat, and she took off for the stables. If there was one thing she adored was her freedom to go anywhere in the castle or the grounds. Along the way to the stables she noticed Gajeel sitting outside with a tablet, his lips pursed, and brows pinched as he stared at the device.

She stopped mid stride and turned around to go say a proper good morning to him, she hadn't had the chance yet, because this morning had been spent mostly lounging in bed enjoying the breakfast Silver brought to her.

"Good morning Gajeel," she said with a bright smile. The pierced man looked up at her, his red eyes widening for a moment in what she assumed was shock.

"Where are you running off to like a little bunny?" he asked.

"The stables," she looked at her toes for a moment, "would you like to come with me? Mard is butchering a bear for dinner tonight and yuck." Lucy wrinkled her nose at the thought of all that gore.

"Was in the middle of reading the news," he said as he put down the tablet.

"Was, that's the keyword and now you aren't. Come on, it'll be fun, and we don't know each other, yet," she said.

Gajeel looked leery to her and Lucy realized that everyone here was treated like family, except for him. He just didn't feel like part of the group, either he was quiet or when someone spoke to him it was usually short. Perhaps Lucy could change that and hopefully without getting in too over her head with any kind of household drama.

"Why do you care?" he said, his voice gruff and Lucy was certain it was just an act.

"Well, in eleven days I become Mard's official bride, why shouldn't I?" she asked.

Gajeel opened his mouth and closed it quickly, a pained expression on his face before he shook his head. Lucy didn't know what he was thinking but whatever it was, it wasn't nice. Maybe that's why people didn't like him, he was just naturally grouchy or something?

"Fine, let's go bunny girl," he grumbled and though it wasn't a very nice reply, she supposed it was better than nothing.

She waited, and the very intimidating black leather clad demon walked to her. Though it looked more like he was stalking her, and Lucy gulped. Lucy had to get her wits together to not run from the guy who looked like he could rip her head off and play football with it.

_He won't hurt you, he values his life too much,_  Mard's voice filtered into her head and Lucy relaxed a little.

_Why don't you guys like him?_

_I was under the impression you were refraining from household drama,_ he shot back, and Lucy bit her cheek.

_True but, still, if you all treat him like shit, he's going to return it in kind, that's just human nature._

_We are not human,_ Mard reminded her.

_Then don't act like it, be better,_  Lucy snapped and instantly regretted telling him off as he chuckled darkly in her head. Mard didn't need to say anything else, Lucy knew he was already planning her punishment.

She slid a sideways glance at the man next to her, "so Gajeel besides driving what do you do?"

"Bodyguard and the castle handyman, outside of that I like music and comic books," he shrugged.

"Do you play?"

"I write and sing," Lucy noticed the blush on his cheeks for a moment at his own admission.

They came up on the stables and Lucy could feel Reaper as he greeted her and asked for an apple. Before he complained that Bickslow hadn't given him one already. She let out a giggle at how quickly the big bad stallion took a liking to her. Lucy assured him that she would make sure he got one.

Yesterday she spent most of it learning to ride and enjoyed every moment of it. Bickslow was a great teacher and Mard had been positively patient with her. When she got the basics, he took Reaper out and together they had spent the day in a slow trot weaving through forest trails and exploring the vast lands around his castle. They had also taken a bit of a break by a small stream so Mard could get a "drink" and let the horses rest before they headed back. Lucy had no idea that riding was so tiring, but she managed to fall asleep before desert and Mard had sweetly put her to bed.

"Hey little lady," Bickslow said, knocking her out of yesterday's happy memories, with a smile before he looked over at Gajeel and his eyes narrowed for a moment.

"Morning, Bixy, thought I'd come and visit with Pippi and Reaper while Mard handles a bear carcass," she said as she moved to hug the big stable keeper.

"Blows my mind that horse likes you," he looked over her head, "what brings you by Gajeel?"

He gruffed, "she did."

"She's a sweetheart, so how goes big man?" Lucy blinked slowly as she noticed that despite a brief flash of surprise, Bickslow was very friendly to the big lonesome guy. Maybe he was just above the household drama?

"It goes, hey you pick up the latest  _Preacher_?" he asked, and Lucy noticed that Gajeel didn't sound as rough.

"Not yet, did you?" Bixy asked and Gajeel nodded.

"Already finished it, you can grab it off my bookshelf," Lucy smiled as the two men happily chatted about something she didn't know about. It didn't matter, right now she just knew Reaper was getting antsy for his apple. She left the two men and went to go find the apple bag and tend to Mard's horse, before seeing her little Pippi.

* * *

 

"Fresh out of blueberry season, look at the blue fat," Silver noted as they carved up the hind quarters.

"This is going to make for a tender dressed roast, I'll start on the milk bath if you can finish this up," Mard said and the chef gave him a swift nod. He rolled up the meat in the butcher's paper before heading back up the stairs to the kitchen.

Sundays for family dinner was a long and tiring day, there was no sleeping in and to have the best available produce and have the time to prepare fresh meat, Mard started at dawn. He didn't want to wake his bride for his morning feeding and now he was feeling quite hungry. Animal blood would not work, he never fed from his staff (baring emergency situations) and since having tasted Lucy, his usual human donors were not appealing.

Mard knew she was in the stables, giving Reaper an apple and she was mentally comparing his and Reaper's temperaments. It surprised him that she was choosing to make befriending Gajeel a pet project and then she had the nerve to get flippant over it. Which Mard enjoyed that, he'll enjoy her punishment more, but that was later for now he had to get this meat prepared.

After setting things in order and washing his hands, Mard's phone rang. "Mard Geer," he said adjusting the phone on his shoulder, so he could dry his hands.

"Hey sweetie, it's your mom, Cana. Got a minute?" she asked her voice as excitable as ever. Mard rolled his eyes, she was not his mother and despised that no matter how many times he corrected her, she would simply not stop calling herself that. Cana was his step-mother and Mard did like her, enough to kill her quickly if he ever had to, but she would add to her likability if she would just accept the proper wording.

"I am preparing dinner,  _step-mother_ ," he added, just to annoy her.

"Sweetie, do you not want your brother and sisters over tonight?" she asked with a dramatic sigh.

"Cana, I have a bride which I am certain you already know, she is young and human. I would prefer to keep the grouping small tonight," he said, making sure to keep his voice level. What Mard wanted to say was that he would prefer to never have to host his step siblings ever again.

"So, what are you going to do about Natsu then and is Freed not allowed to bring the triplets?" she asked and Mard almost dropped the phone

"Uncle Natsu is coming?" Mard gulped and looked skyward for a moment hoping the Unholy was listening to his plea for help. Uncle Natsu only randomly joined for family dinner and Mard didn't always plan for him. Then again with the triplets being born and his Uncle probably heard about Lucy, he should have figured it was likely.

"With Uncle Sting," Cana sang and Mard could just feel the enjoyment she was getting out of torturing him. His Uncle Natsu was interesting enough for being clinically insane with a condition he coined, hopelessly happy syndrome, but to add in his life mate, Sting and the likelihood of an embarrassing evening had gone up exponentially. Also, so had the amount of food required for tonight.

"Thank you for the warning, now excuse me I must prepare even more food for tonight. Though, please just for this dinner, leave the children at home." He said and disconnected the call before she could reply.

Silver came up from the butchering room, "we are going to need the entire bear. My uncles will also be here tonight." The chef's eyes went wide for a moment before he turned around and headed back down the stairs. Mard followed, knowing it was going to be a two-person job to carry it all up, even if it was significantly lighter without the organs.

They debated and planned for a few minutes trying to recalculate the cooking times for the additional quantities of food. Mard's phone rang again and he answered it, "brother mine, how are you?" Freed sounded tired, but if Mard had to guess it was most likely because their father had moved in, not because of triplets.

"I am well Freed, how are the babies and Merlin?" he asked, balancing his phone on his shoulder as he diced shallots.

"They are wonderful, Cana mentioned Uncles Natsu and Sting will be dining with us tonight, would the triplets be too much? Merlin and the little ones can stay home," Freed inquired and Mard was always appreciative of how thoughtful his brother was.

"I asked Cana to leave her pack of rejects home, I believe without their presence, Rosebud can manage the family for her first meeting." Least Mard was hopeful she could, his family was truly unique, and he hoped that a family fun brawl, as Uncle Sting puts it, would not break out.

"Rosebud? Charming pet name...oh, where was I? Oh, yes. The triplets?" Freed asked and Mard heard a small yawn from his brother.

"Of course, she should meet them, if I had my way it would just be your family but alas," Mard let his voice trail off. Damn his luck inheriting his mother's culinary skills and his need to uphold tradition by hosting a family meal once a month on Sunday. Even after she died and Zeref mourned, Uncle Natsu helped keep the tradition going until Mard decided to take it over himself.

Freed chuckled, "I understand, I will let Merlin know. Shall we bring anything?"

He always asked, he was the only family member who remembered his etiquette enough to ask. "Do not concern yourself, thank you but no." It was the standard reply but like his twin, Mard was always under the firm belief that etiquette is of high value.

"Final question and then I will let you get back to your Rosebud and cooking mastery. Do you still need to speak to me before dinner or was our talk Friday enough?" Freed asked.

"It was enough, now I shall see you at eight," Mard said.

"Till then, take care brother mine." Freed hung up and Mard smiled as he pocketed his phone.

"Got a five spot that says your father calls next," Silver said with a smirk.

"I would not be surprised, though, do you think I'm wrong in wanting to dis-invite the step-siblings?" Mard asked, uncertain.

"I think, sir, it's your castle and it's you that decides who you want to call family and treat as such. Not even your father has the right to dictate your feelings," he said as he took the spice mixture and began to rub it all over the back straps of the bear. Mard pursed his lips and decided that he would consider Silver's words while he started browning the butter and shallots for his soup base.

They worked for a couple more hours and as things were ready, Mard took off his apron - a gift from his brother - and went to look for his Rosebud. For all that is unholy he was starving and could not wait any longer before he could enjoy her. He walked out towards the stables, when he heard shouting and he could tell that his little bride was vehemently upset.

" _Deadpool_  was the better R rated comic book movie," she said.

" _Logan_  had a significantly better script and didn't need dick jokes," Gajeel said his voice as harsh as normal.

"The only reason you think  _Logan_  was better was because  _Deadpool_  showed that you could be R rated and make money. Also, that movie relies on too many annoying feels and some really stupid tropes," Rosebud shot back as Mard took in the scene. Her and Gajeel were smiling at each other as they stood toe to toe. Bickslow had his mouth open, Cobra held a snicker on his face and Jackal was cackling.

" _Deadpool_  was nothing more than a pile of childish…" Gajeel grinned, "oh wait, yeah perfect for little kids to understand. You're what barely old enough to have seen it." Mard raised a brow at the audacity of Gajeel to insult his little bride, but he could tell that this was good natured.

"Says the old man who's probably waiting for his AARP card to come in… oh wait, didn't you already get that when they first started helping senior citizens?" she said barely getting through the statement without laughing.

"It's all good, like my coffee half price at McDonald's, though I bet you still enjoy the toys that come with the Happy Meals."

"You laugh but we all know they are worth some serious money on eBay," she snapped.

"So you can buy more crayons?" Gajeel asked and Mard was certainly impressed with this banter. He hadn't seen the iron demon smile nearly this much in the years he had been here.

"Better than buying denture adhesive like it's going out of style," she smirked.

Mard figured he should end this so he can have his lunch and his bride when excited and snarky was breathtaking. Least if he actually needed to breathe she would be. "While I am entertained, Rosebud, your Sire has need of you," he said.

She hugged the leather clad demon before coming to Mard's side and taking his hand. He looked down into her coffee colored eyes and enjoyed the smile she had on her face, she was having fun. "That sounded like a spirited exchange."

"It was, with Gajeel you talk comic books and music and you gotta be able to handle what he dishes out," she said and Mard felt like he learned something from her.

"My knowledge of comic books is limited, I have found few ever worth reading." He led her back into the house and instead of going to the bedroom he took her into his private office, where he first examined her.

Mard sat in his favorite wide reading chair as his bride straddled his lap. His fangs ached, and he needed her this moment. He flicked her hair back from her neck and pulled her closer. She shivered that small movement sending an erotic pulse through his body. For all that is unholy he could smell her fragrant arousal as her breath hitched and he licked her neck lightly.

His phone started buzzing, and though annoying he ignored it, as he opened his mouth and scraped his fangs along the column of her throat. Lucy let out a small whimper and Mard used that as his chance to pierce her creamy skin. Her heart hammering, it forced her blood into his mouth as his eyes closed, and he relished in drinking her. She had had been drinking coffee and he could taste a bit with her essence. Her hips rolled against the erection he was experiencing while lost to feeling her on him.

Only she could do this to him, make him question his decisions into waiting. He wanted her in every carnal way his devious mind could up with, and then do it again. Mard swallowed her blood and moaned as he took his next pull. She played with his hair as she loosened the ponytail and he loved that.

"S-sire," she moaned as her hips rolled again and he knew she was looking for release. He was as well and with the way she could move on him, it would be childish, but he could release in his own pants from the feeling.

That cursed phone buzzed again and Mard found his temper quickly coming to ahead. Another pull of her blood soothed it back just a little and the mesmerizing throaty purr of her had him enslaved. Three mouthfuls of her delicious blood had him feeling so much better, the hunger pangs dissipating but his arousal for his bride had only gotten stronger.

Many vampires became hard during feeding, he was no exception and wanted to sate himself. He didn't need to feel to know she was wet and eager, that he could just take her now. His word, was all that stopped him, and he would be nothing without his flawless word. Mard pricked his tongue and smeared his blood to heal her punctures. A small glance upward as he licked his lips caught her attention.

His bride crashed her mouth on his and he was surprised at how forward she was in this instance. Lucy was doing what she could with her limited knowledge to put him under her control. It was strangely attractive to let her have her way, perhaps just this kiss he could let her have a taste of the power she commanded but was grossly unaware of. Her tongue slid into his mouth and there was no timidness in how she pursued and stroked his. They battled for a few moments as he held her tight against him to stop her infernal hips from working their magic on him.

This had the capacity to go too far.

It also had the capacity to not go far enough.

His little bride would need air soon and she began to pull back, Mard didn't let her. After all she may have had her few moments, he was still her master. Her hands smoothed down his chest and he felt buttons loosen before her fingertip trailed against his chest. The small contact electrifying his very being and he growled as his pelvis came up shoving his clothed erection against her covered core.

He broke the kiss trying to pull his desire in, but her fingers began to play with his belt and he arched an eyebrow at her. Curious as to what she was thinking he opened his mind to listen to hers.

_Fuck, I don't care, I need him. I hurt._

She hurt? He had hurt her or was she only hurting from lack of her own release?

_Please, just take me, fill this hole, I'm going to die without him._

Lucy nibbled and licked along his throat and Mard wanted to give into her. He didn't want her in pain, well not the pain he would give her. Though he understood the longing, Mard was certain that the promise was going to kill him before the appointed night. Damn his promises.

He moved slightly as she undid his belt and fumbled for the closure on his pants. His own hands ran up under her shirt and he release the clasp on her bra. Mard wasted no time in removing the shirt and bra from her and she happily let him, now he could enjoy the feeling of her bared breasts.

They went back to kissing, fighting against each other has hands roamed everywhere. Mard knew he was in over his head and letting this get to far out of control, but to hear her pleading and all but crying in pain, inside her mind was undoing his sanity slowly. He never used to care, with her, he cared in spades.

She released his cock from its prison and her fingers wrapped around it as she played with him. Mard grabbed her wrist and tried to hold her still, she was too far into her own passion to think clearly.

"No, p-please Sire…" she cried.

"We cannot do this, I will give you release but not that," he whispered as his hand moved from her thin wrist to slowly stroke her over her panties. His control was being tested and he knew that, but this was his own punishment for saying something monumentally stupid at their first meeting.

"I don't care, impale me, take me, goddess above…" Lucy said as she stroked him. Her hand movements following what he taught her in the shower and Mard pursed his lips as he tried to ignore her pleas.

"I do, I want you, but I said I would wait," he replied, his fingers sliding the satin of her panties to the side so he could feel her smooth weeping flower. She was drenched for him and he could not stop the images of lowering her quivering body on top of him and giving into that pleasure.

She let out a lewd moan as he inserted a single finger into her, he wished he hadn't, she was tight. That virgin feel of her, wrapped around a slim finger, his cock twitched in her hand as he imagined being in there.

His bride kissed him, and he noticed how she rode on his finger, her movements guided as she lifted herself up and down. A slow tempo as she fluttered around his digit, "there, use my hand, ride it."

Her hand worked faster on him as his eyes rolled up, the need for his release building with every tightly gripped stroked. Mard lost sense of reality as she kissed him and suckled his tongue. Something happened, a shift and he barely stopped in time. Distracted by his own lust, his devious bride had moved up and almost took his erection into her instead of the finger she was using. His speed stopped her in time but barely, his tip was only a fraction of an inch inside of her.

How had he gotten so distracted? Mard could have broken his word by his inattentiveness and her eagerness, that made him snarl and he found pleasure shifting toward anger.

"How dare you?" he growled and picked her up and threw her to the floor. She cried out as she bounced against the area rug over marble. His teeth bared and stood and didn't bother to right his clothing. "Greedy, selfish, child."

She got up on her knees, her eyes wide and lips trembled in pure fear as she put her hands up, as if that would stop him. "I-I'm sorry, please Sire, no."

He grabbed her hair, forcing her head back to look up at him, "you tried to take me. You want to feel me? Be fucked by me? Force me to break my word for your pleasure?"

She whimpered but did not reply, he pulled her hair and rattled her head, making her scream. "Y-yes, I tried, Sire!"

"Then let me give you what you want," Mard looked down at her and forced her head forward to take his cock into her mouth. "I will fuck your mouth and you will take it,  _puşti_."

She struggled and coughed around his length but Mard was not in the mood to care about her discomfort. The little human tried something abhorrent to him and he would make sure that she understood the gravity of her mistake. This would be a lesson she would not forget.

It was searing as she bit him, and he pulled her off of him, "do not bite me, this is your punishment  _puşti_."

"Y-yes, Sire," she said as tears streamed down her face. For a moment he reconsidered his options because her tears felt like wounds across his being. Only a moment, she had to learn, for all intents and purposes she was going to take him, rape him as it were. That was unacceptable, on every level he could imagine.

At the same point he knew that making her first venture into fellatio a painful experience, she would hate him every time he told her to perform. The act would be something she would only ever associate with pain and not pleasure, which was disheartening. Mard was conflicted and he hated that feeling, because he was rarely uncertain. He knew his own mind, his own wants, and desires, why was he questioning himself so much in front of her?

She cried and whimpered as he thought and to see her reddened face, tears and trembling lips, Mard found himself dropping to his knees to hold her. He pressed her head into his chest as he threaded his fingers through his hair, his erection gone. His bride clutched to his shirt as she cried, and he could feel her guilt over her actions run over him. Her mind was a disaster of self-torture as she insulted her own stupidity and libido. Nothing she thought of was against him or his actions, she was internalizing everything and carrying the burden of this mistake solely on her shoulders. Which was right, but it was also wrong. As a young human girl, she was no more capable of fighting off the feelings from his bite than he was to stop how her blood made him feel.

He pursed his lips as he tried to think of what to say to her. Lucy mumbled mindless babble into his chest, which he figured was her trying to apologize. Her mind had said as much and was still wailing on and on about her sorrow and pain. For now, he was going to let her work it through her emotions and just stay still, while he figured what he was going to do about himself.

Her sobs went down to quiet whimpers with bits of hiccups laced in. He could sense her ease and figured this was the time to talk, "I know you are sorry, and I know you could not help yourself."

"I-I couldn't, I just…" her voice trailed off as she went back to burying her face in his chest.

"Needed more than what you are getting," he said, and she nodded, "Do you agree that you went about this the wrong way?"

"I-I did Sire, I'm so sorry," she whimpered.

"I know,  _puşti_ , I know, and I choose to forgive you, this time," he said his voice firm, "I will not extend this gift a second time."

She looked up at him and he saw the gratitude and hopefulness in her eyes. "Thank you, Sire."

Mard touched her cheek and gave her a slow gentle kiss, "you are welcome,  _puşti_."

He held her for a few more minutes, before bothering to fix his clothes. She stopped shaking and he felt her relax slightly, all good signs. Mard bent down and grabbed her shirt and bra, letting her get dressed. Mentally he kept listening to her mind, she was still angry at herself, but it had calmed down considerably. Regardless of anything she was grateful to his handling of her and she was certain he was a good bad vampire. Mard liked the sound of that.

Again, his phone rang and with a snarl he answered it, " _Floare_ , no need to growl."

"Father, I am busy, is this important?" he asked as he gazed into his bride's eyes and gently stroked her dried cheek.

"Cana is upset, you were rude to her," he said, his voice downcast. Mard knew that meant Cana had most likely cried.

"I was not rude to my  _step-mother_. She just wants her pack of rejects here. Did you know Uncles Natsu and Sting are coming tonight?" Mard asked, betting the drunk demoness forgot to mention that to him.

"My brother? Hm, Poet and his family as well?" Zeref asked and Mard thought it was a stupid question, of course they would be here.

"Yes, I have many mouths to feed already. Need I remind you that this…"

"Enough, Mard Geer Tartaros, that is enough," Mard gulped as his father raised his voice, Rosebud held his hand and looked at him. His father continued, "I am aware that it is your castle and it is a tradition you do not need to keep. I am also aware that every month this feels like a fight. I am old, and I am tired of it."

"Explain to me why the necessity of the call then, if you acknowledge my side of the situation?"

Zeref let out a very audible breath, "You owe Cana an apology and you will make it up to her by making sure that you personally extend invites to your siblings for the ceremony and marriage."

"I will do no such thing, that tradition is too personal to extend to people I do not consider family," Mard shot back, standing quickly to his feet as his lips pulled back in a snarl.

"Are you forgetting who I am?" his father asked and no, Mard did not forget who the man was. His father seemed to be wonderful at forgetting who he is.

Mard felt her fingertips trace up his hand as she took the phone. He glared at her, but she put her finger up and shot him a look that gave him pause. It was that same determined defiant look she gave him when he was in the shower beating himself up for his almost mistake. This one look out of her was beyond any definition of sexy he had ever constructed, seen, or read.

"Hello, I'm Lucy Hearfilia, Mard's bride. It is very nice to speak with you," she said her voice like honey.

"Oh, hello little one. I'm Zeref Dragneel, his father," Mard was shocked at how quickly his father's tone changed.

Rosebud giggled into the phone, "you have a very sweet voice. I was wondering if I could impose on a favor tonight, since this is my first family dinner."

"Oh certainly, such a polite little thing." Mard was a bit freaked out over the complete change in his father.

"Is it possible for everyone's comfort we just let poor Mard have his way? He's had such a busy day and I hate seeing him distressed. I'm sure he didn't mean to upset his step-mother, I know he's fond of her," she paused, "I do want to meet the rest of his family, but I'm still adjusting and prone to being overwhelmed. I don't want to make a bad first impression on everyone. For me, please papa Zeref?"

_For all that is unholy, what power was this?_  Mard was feeling compelled to give her whatever she wanted if she used that voice tone again. It was sweet with a bit of a pout behind it but still firm in a way that grabbed a hold of your brain and turned it into porridge. Was he sure she was human? This was running almost like his _geas_ and that was frightening.

"Yes, Lucy, that is acceptable, I'm so sorry you've been overwhelmed. Has my son at least been good to you?"

She shot him a saucy wink, "yes, he has papa Zeref, you have raised a fine vampire. I cannot wait to meet you tonight and express my gratitude for your magnificent work in raising him."

"I and my wife will be there at eight and we will bring the others with us another time of your choosing. So nice to hear from you, little bride, take care now." Zeref hung up and Lucy smirked at Mard.

"How?" he asked taking his phone from her and pressing a kiss to her nose.

"I'm adorable," she said her eyes wide as she let out a bright smile. Mard blinked as he looked at her and found himself nodding.

"You have compulsion magic then?"

"Yeah, we'll go with that," she said with a bit of a smirk.

Mard didn't try to stop himself as he picked up his little Rosebud and kissed her fiercely. She played Zeref beautifully and yes, adorable was a power she possessed. For the first time in a long time, Mard had a good feeling about Sunday family dinner. He could not wait to show off his little bride to his family, even Uncle Natsu.

* * *

 

I know, adorable is really a super power for Lucy ^^

Don't worry Uncle Natsu is coming...and it's all the  _fun_.

 

So on that note...don't forget to  **kudos and comment!**

_Up next... Dinner_

 


	8. Mine

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

* * *

Lucy was impressed with the black dress Mard had given to her and she had no idea when the man shopped. It was long and a lightweight cotton that let her skin breathe. The soft material molded to her curves before it flared out slightly to let her full movement. She even admired the bit of cleavage the dress gave her, it let her show off just a little skin, something she knew her vampire was fond of.

The day had been crazy, and she lost her mind at one point, but Lucy knew it would be okay. It was a mistake and though he scared the hell out of her, he changed so suddenly she felt whiplash. Stars above what she wouldn't give to know what he was thinking when he went from absolute righteous fury to soft comfort.

"That ruining your first foray into fellatio would make it a turn off for you, which affects me," he said as he adjusted his suit coat. The vampire was immaculate in his suit and Lucy found her little hormones whipping themselves into a frenzy around him. He wore black, as usual, but this time he had a white shirt under the dark purple vest and a black lightly patterned tie. The suit coat was a little longer than standard, a bit old fashioned but regal in its appearance.

"So, you were kind to me because you worried about you getting head for the rest of your life?" she asked her arms crossed under her bust.

Mard shrugged, "For the most part," he put his hands on her shoulders, "the rest was the fact that your tears and fear cause pain. I did not like that."

"I can live with that," Lucy said, knowing that was the best she was going to get as to him being romantic or apologizing. He held out his arm and escorted her down to the dining room. The smell of his carefully crafted meal wafting through the air and made Lucy's mouth water.

"Natsu! The babies!" Lucy heard a happy cry and Mard stutter-stepped briefly.

"That would be Uncle Sting," Mard said as he led her into the room. Lucy paused to look at the group of people before her. They all looked so mostly normal, no horns or wings or scales, just people. It put her a bit more at ease, even if she was now the center of attention.

"Everyone, this is Lucy Heartfilia, my bride," Mard said as his hand tightened around hers.

Lucy curtsied, "It's nice to meet everyone."

The wild looking pink haired man was the first to rush over, literally rush over, she had seen Mard move that fast, but wow.

"Lucy, this is my uncle Natsu," Mard said as Lucy looked at him. Uncle Natsu was taller than her with hair in a shade of pink spiked all over the place. He wore a white scarf, black vest, no shirt and black flowing pants, much more casual than her vampire. Though his smile and crazy eyes were his best features, she just knew he was a bit of trouble and that had so much promise.

"Oh, she's pretty Marchkin," he said with a massive grin to his face. Lucy was grabbed into a hug and she thought her skin was going to catch fire because of the heat coming from him. Though he was a great hugger, Lucy decided she liked him.

"Uncle, please that is a horrific name," her vampire groaned.

_Ha! He should try being called brat, all…._  Now that was an idea and Lucy quickly stopped thinking, before Mard started his usual tricks.

"It's a great name, you'll always be the Mighty Marchkin," he said as his hand stretched out and went to grab Mard's cheek. He pulled back and glared at his uncle, Lucy could feel his embarrassment at how casually his family treated him.

"I think it's cute, I bet he was adorable as a child," Lucy added, trying to lighten the mood. Mard glanced down at her and she smiled at him, letting him know how happy she was with this.

"Luce, when Marchkin was a little guy I gave him a story book about me and my battle with the big angry black dragon. He never let that book go, even slept with it at night. He was so precious, used to suck his thumb and demand cuddles when he napped," Natsu let out a laugh and Lucy's mind had a field day picturing a toddler version of Mard. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, after a few seconds he handed it over and Lucy couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her.

It was a photo of an old charcoal drawing Lucy could see a toddler Mard, the hair hadn't changed much only it was now significantly longer. She wouldn't have guessed that he had little chubby cheeks and even small he dressed up in a cute little suit with a long coat with tatters in the edges. He was curled up on Uncle Natsu holding a book and sure enough, he was sucking his thumb. Natsu's eyes were closed and the two looked positively sweet as they napped.

"We didn't have cameras back then, but I saved all the old drawings. I've got lots of cute ones of Marchkin and Scribbles. Mavis was a great artist and drew her boys a lot," he said as he swiped to the next picture of a five-year-old Mard giving Freed a rose. Lucy sighed just thinking about how adorable he was. "Is he still a cuddle monster? I think he stopped sucking thumb."

Mard face palmed and Lucy could feel his embarrassment, for a moment she had a pain of sympathy for her vampire. Only for a moment cause the faint pink on his cheeks was too charming to not love seeing.

She leaned in, "He still demands cuddles, like a  _brat_." Uncle Natsu gave her a grin before he started chuckling, Mard bristled and clenched his fist.

_Watch, yourself,_  Mard commanded into her skull. She should care and be a bit better with her words, but around Uncle Natsu she just couldn't. He was funny to talk to and she felt a little wild in his presence, also hot, wow what kind of demon or vampire is he?

"So, tell Uncle Natsu all about yourself, I can tell that we are going to be best friends," he said, and Lucy kept the happy grin on her face. She had no idea that Mard's family was such an eclectic mix of crazy or Uncle Natsu was quickly going to be a new best friend.

"Before you monopolize all her time, may I introduce her to everyone else first, Uncle?" Mard asked, his accent thickened a tiny bit more. Her vampire was clearly on edge from this moment, but then again embarrassing family stories and pictures will do that to anyone.

"Nah! I got that, oh first you have to meet my Stinger. Hey sweety! Quit glomping the baby, Luce is a hugger," he called out and Lucy giggled as the blonde turned red, handed the baby back to Freed, and made his way over. Mard's twin and his bride were the only people she recognized, thanks to Mard showing pictures at dinner.

Lucy hugged him immediately, like a reflex, he was much nicer to hug, due to lack of scalding skin. She noticed how Mard all but threw his hands up in the air and walked over to his twin. "Oh, she is! Look how sweet and a little blondie too. I'm Uncle Sting."

"Nice to meet you, so how did you two meet?" she asked, finding herself quickly trapped between the two men. They each had an arm around her and grinned wildly, it forced her smile to keep going, she knew her face was going to hurt later.

"The Grand Demon Games, took one look, fought each other till we were too tired to stand and then…" Sting tailed off as he looked at Natsu and Lucy flushed.

"Been mated since that fight, 438 years baby," Natsu cooed. They kissed each other briefly before Natsu looked at her again, more aptly she noticed his gaze was on her chest. Lucy had to remind herself to not blush, that Uncle Natsu wasn't thinking bad things about her chest.

"Marchkin are they as comfy as they look?" Uncle Natsu asked as he looked over his shoulder.

"Uncle, you may not use my bride's chest as a pillow," he said, and Lucy noticed how he had his hands full with a baby.

Mard was holding the pink blanket swaddle infant against his chest as he cradled her head, it was sweet. She felt hot, more so than just by standing next to Uncle Natsu, a rush of feeling hit her body and heart. The wave gave her a slight pain in her womb as it was empty, and she longed to see the look on Mard's face if she had his children. Children she wanted, a big family of her own to love and treasure who would love her as well. Her wave of emotion was certain that Mard needed to be a father and she was damn well going to make that happen. As quickly as the feeling came up it subsided but not before her Sire gave her an all-knowing smile and Natsu's hand let go of her shoulder.

"So that's a yes, oh Natsu we need to cuddle this girl, I vote sleepover!" Sting exclaimed.

"I love this idea Stinger, Marchkin can we spend the night?" Uncle Natsu asked and Lucy realized at this moment that she two heads nuzzling against her breasts. She giggled at the sight and without thinking ran her hands through their hair, the men purred, literally purred.

She could feel fire ants across her skin as she slid a sideways glance at Mard. For a moment his eyes went red and his lips pulled back revealing fangs, just as quick, Mard collected himself and resumed paying attention to the baby. Lucy hadn't seen that before, but she had to guess that he was upset by the fact his uncles were enjoying her breasts. It was silly, but his uncles weren't causing any harm, just snugglers.

"Brother, how about you let the rest of us meet Lucy," a shorter man with short black hair tufted in random directions asked. That had to be Zeref, Mard was not joking he took after his father, it was the eyes, complexion and chin.

"Ugh but Zeref, the nuzzling was getting good," he said before he stood up again and smiled at her.

Lucy giggled, "Papa Zeref, nice to meet you in person rather than just a phone call. I see where Mard gets his good looks from."

Zeref flashed her a grin, "This is my wife, Cana."

"You're an adorable baby girl, love it," she said before downing whatever was in her mug. Cana was stunning with her tanned skin, long flowing chestnut hair and wow she had a figure, Lucy was almost jealous.

_You should not be jealous, you are a goddess._  Mard's voice filtered into her head and Lucy blushed slightly.

"She's a party gal but I like her," Natsu whispered.

"Babe, you like everyone," Sting added as they talked over Lucy's head.

"So nice to meet you, I can't imagine how difficult it is to have a  _brat_  like Mard," Lucy said, watching as Mard shot her a glare.

_One more time, pusti and I will punish you._  He warned into her head and Lucy felt a delicious shiver crawl up her spine. She could keep playing this game, all night. Even if this a little different for her, but wow, with Uncle Natsu next to her she felt untouchable.

"Ohmuhgawd! Mardie you have to keep her! I need a drink," Cana called out before she snapped her fingers over her mug. Lucy could smell the booze from a few feet away and wrinkled her nose.

"What the hell are you drinking, Cana, it…. ewww," Natsu complained as he and Sting both held their noses. Lucy figured they might have sensitive senses based on their reactions and she would remember to watch perfumes and things around them.

She shrugged and took a swig, "I have no idea, just came up with it, I like it."

"You like anything with a proof content," Sting said with a laugh.

"Oh hey, Cana is a lush demon, she can't really help the drinking, it's what they do. So, like you know how people with addiction problems sometimes talk about having a demon?" Natsu asked and Lucy nodded, having heard that kind of thing before. "Her people are responsible for that, it's what they do. Marchkin tell you a lot about demons?"

"Not yet Uncle Natsu, I am still working through a teaching curriculum, after the ceremony," he said.

"Got it, waiting to see if she…" Lucy felt the rush of wind as Mard cleared the room and was suddenly on top of Natsu one hand over his mouth and another curled around a baby.

"Not another word," he warned, and Lucy took a step back, she was shaking slightly. Uncle Sting put his hands on her shoulders.

"Mard, you're scaring your bride and you should have told her everything before we got here." Sting shot back.

"She just arrived Thursday, Sting,  _Floare_  does things at his own pace," Zeref said as he stepped between her vampire and his uncle. Mard took two steps back as Natsu returned to his previous place, putting his arm around her. Lucy noticed the look on his face, it was like he was daring his nephew to try something.

"Bollocks, all of you, bleedin idiots," the tattooed woman, Merlin, said as she walked over. She took Lucy's hand and pulled her away from the Uncles. "Come on love, let's go have a good chin wag."

"Merlin," Mard said and Lucy watched in awe as the woman shot him a look that made the vampire gulp and nod his head. She wondered just how nervous she should be around her.

"Right, I'm Merlin, Freed's bride and Mard's best friend," she said her voice full of pride and an unusual accent, Minstrellian maybe?

"Right, I'm from Minstrel, clever girl," she said with a smile.

"You also read minds?"

"Mard and I are the only two telepaths here, it made passing notes in academy easier," she said with a laugh. "Now, how about we load up a plate or two of food, find a comfy room and talk. Ta hell wit the party," she said.

Lucy nibbled her lip, "That wouldn't be fair to all of Mard's hard work. He'd been up since dawn preparing everything and I want to know all of you."

Merlin smiled, "Right, love her Mard. She's perfect."

Lucy tilted her head to the side and blinked, "That was a test?"

"Of course, you think I wouldn't?"

"I wouldn't know, we just met, but you are his sister-in-law and best friend for many hundreds of years based on what you said about passing notes. So, it makes sense if you piece it together," Lucy said.

"Brilliant, perfect match for him. Fate chooses well," she said, and Lucy had a plethora of questions about it.

"Excuse me, I am Freed, Mard's twin," Lucy regarded the very elegant man as he took her hand and placed a kissed to it. It wasn't until she stood in front of the green haired man that yes, she could see how the two were twins. They both had an air of sophistication to them, though different in appearance, it was a feeling that caught her attention.

"Call him Scribbles, he loves that name," Natsu added.

"Uncle Natsu…" Freed said, his voice a bit of a warning. Lucy really wanted to know why the nickname.

"Freed's particular vampiric magic revolves around Runes and contracts, so he writes endlessly. When his magic first formed he scribbled over everything with almost any kind of substance you can imagine," Mard said and Lucy relaxed a bit as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and placed a glass of wine in her hand.

_You are doing beautifully, my family is a lot to take in,_  he said.

_Soon to be my family too, we should talk…_  Lucy let her thoughts trail off. She had many questions and was slowly finding herself a bit annoyed that he didn't teach her more before this night. They had plenty of opportunities to talk while horseback riding, but that didn't happen. Instead they discussed philosophy, literature, science and flirted heavily, Mard was a gifted conversationalist. The best part, he encouraged her to speak more and complimented her intelligence, her previous life, that never happened.

"Whereas Mard could not be pulled away from flowers, I think he made a small fort inside of a rose bush for a full week," Freed said his eyes dancing. Lucy could tell the brothers loved each other fiercely and did not seem to have problems sharing each other's stories. Though she noticed how both could say just enough for a laugh but to not embarrass one another. In a way it was very sweet.

"Merlin did I tell you the story about Scribbles and the time he tried to eat a book?" Uncle Sting added.

"Oh, now, this should be good, I love these stories," Merlin said as she rubbed her hands and beamed at the blonde-haired man.

"How about over dinner?" Mard interrupted as he ushered her away from the group of people.

"Food!" Uncles Natsu and Sting exclaimed together.

"I call dibs on sitting next to Luce!" Natsu said as he followed Mard and her to the end of the table. Mard pulled out the chair to his right and Lucy took a seat, relaxing a little and feeling her stomach tighten in its hunger.

Everyone sat around the table, Freed and Merlin last as they placed the babies into bassinets in the room. Lucy really wanted to see and hold the babies, they looked so tiny. Perhaps after dinner she could get a chance, assuming the new parents didn't need to get home.

"Damn Mardie this smells amazing too bad the others are missing this," Cana said, her voice a little slurred. Lucy watched as Mard tensed for a moment before putting his napkin in his lap. Most likely this is why he had problems with his step-mother, for a vampire like Mard she was an affront to his air of aristocracy.

"Yeah, where are her broodlings?" Uncle Natsu asked.

Mard opened his mouth for a moment but Lucy spoke first, "I asked if it's okay to keep the group small tonight. You are all quite amazing and I'm still adapting."

"You met Cobra, didn't you? Hey where is that asshole, I need to fight him again." Uncle Natsu said as he heaped a pile of meat on his plate. Lucy noticed the drool coming out of his mouth.

"Uncle Natsu, can you save your need for rough housing till after desert?" Mard asked.

"Okay, but I'm still spending the night Marchkin, Luce do you like comedies?" He asked before shoving a massive slab of meat in his mouth.

"I love them! Especially romantic ones," she said and noticed how Sting lit up and Mard tightened his grip on the fork.

"Movie night, baby. I think we need to binge watch everything with lots of popcorn and of course, cuddling Blondie here," Sting said.

"Yeah, Mard can handle a night of sharing his bride with his Uncles for cuddles," Natsu said, "especially after that test nuzzle. So soft," Lucy noticed that he went right back to staring at her chest.

Mard let out a growl, "Uncle Natsu, that is unacceptable," his fist hit the table, making all the plates bounce, "my bride sleeps with me."

All the sounds of dinner stopped at once as everyone looked at Mard. His father stood up, " _Floare_ , I need you to calm down. He meant no offense. Listen to me, no one will take your bride."

"It's just a night, you haven't made her true and so… she's open for sharing." Natsu said with a devilish grin on his face as he touched Lucy's shoulder, and then it happened, all hell broke loose.

Mard shot up and suddenly he completely changed into something inhuman. Massive wings on his back, a mouth full of teeth and dark purple skin all over a demon body. Lucy was grabbed, and she squealed in a panic, as clawed hands wrapped around her. She was crushed into its sculpted chest

"Mine!" he roared, and Lucy felt her teeth rattling from the sound.

Everyone stood up, Freed and Merlin grabbed their children and in the blink of an eye they were gone. Lucy couldn't blame them; this whole thing was terrifying and she whimpered. Cana just put her feet on the table and took another swig of her drink. Sting stepped in front of Natsu, ready to protect his mate but Natsu had an interesting look on his face. He looked proud, that couldn't be right.

Zeref calmly started walking towards them, " _Floare_ , relax, no one will take your bride. We are all family here, Lucy is safe, but you are scaring her."

" _A mea_!" he roared again, and Lucy let out a scream as he held her tight and crashed them through a window. Small pieces of glass cut her, and she let out a sharp cry at the pain. The large demon held her tighter as they flew, literally flew over the courtyard.

"Mard?" she timidly asked, burying her face into his neck. The wind was cold on her and she struggled to find warmth in him.

" _Face-mi a mea_ ," he said, and Lucy had no idea what that meant. All she knew was that she had never been so scared in her life.

* * *

"Natsu!" Zeref screeched at him and Natsu shrugged.

"She's his true bride, well will be in a few more minutes," Natsu said as he looked at his brother.

"What?" Zeref's eyes went wide.

"Zeref, chill out, you gotta trust your brother here," Sting said as he stroked Natsu's cheek and he let out a soft sigh at his mate. "I trust ya baby."

"It's hurting both of them to not hurry up and do this. Hell, with the tradition," Natsu said as he kissed his mate's fingers before looking back at his brother.

"That tradition is important," Zeref argued and Natsu and Sting both rolled their eyes.

"To you, not to nature. On occasion Zeref you have to let nature run its course without ceremony," he said, figuring that this was going to the moment when Zeref and him had this chat.

Natsu found it absurd that most of his family wrote him off because he's happy, Natsu knew his emotional empathy was stronger than all of theirs and for it he had a deeper understanding of nature than any of them.

"Mard Geer lives for tradition and ceremony, did you not consider your nephew?" Zeref asked through clenched teeth.

"I did, and this is the best thing for him. He needs this. Marchkin died when Jai did and if he lost Luce before he changed her you will no longer have a son. You barely survived after Mavis died and you're a good dad Zeref, losing Marchkin or Scribbles would kill you."

"You can't be certain that she is even his true bride. You can be wrong Natsu," Zeref replied.

"Not in this case, unlike you, I can sense the threads between them. All I had to do was pluck the right one or do you keep forgetting who I am, brother?" Natsu said as he felt his mate entangle their fingers together in a reassuring squeeze.

"I know who you are, I know this is part of your domain, but you have to be certain." Zeref said his voice pleading.

"As the Lord of Fire, I am certain," Natsu reached into his formal voice, letting his own presence fill the room. He really hated having to be formal, life wasn't fun with formalities. As Lord of Fire, Natsu had command over anything that was a fire elemental and love proved to be a fire of itself. Part of his nature to want to find love and happiness for all of his family, especially since he had his own mate right with him.

Marchkin was always the difficult one and at random times Natsu almost gave up. He knew Jai was not going to work but could not bring himself to warn his nephew. When she died and Marchkin's heart broke, Natsu refused to eat or leave the bedroom for a week, hating himself in his own guilt for each tear that was shed. He was never more grateful for his mate as he was then, Sting pulled him off the cliff and Natsu promised he'd never fail Marchkin again.

"That's why this dinner was important, you needed to see. How did you know?"

"I felt it, I live by my instincts bro. How about we eat? They are going to be busy for a while and we'll need to carry them back." Natsu said, unable to resist the call of the food any longer. His nephew was fucking brilliant and that bear roast, yum!

"Natsu if you are wrong, it is not me you will fear," Zeref said as he took a seat and shot a glance over at a passed out Cana. He shook his head and smiled at his wife.

Natsu really didn't understand that relationship but he knew his brother was happy, even if he was unaware that Cana had cheated on him. That was a secret Marchkin gave him because he detested not knowing what to do and couldn't handle the guilt of having that information.

All they could've done at the time was that Natsu took Cana away for a while, claiming she needed a good long vacation to find herself as a demoness at a midpoint in her life. During the time Cana gave birth to a little boy and broke apart in front of Natsu and Sting. It was rough and he knew his brother would be devastated by everything, but it had to be done. The lush demoness couldn't help it, it was their nature, hence the kids by different unknown fathers. Her and Zeref would never conceive, for vampires have only one mate they can conceive with.

When Cana gave birth to the little demon pup, Natsu asked Marchkin to raise him. It wasn't because Sting and he didn't want a baby of their own, it was because Marchkin needed it to heal from Jai. Sting pouted for weeks after Natsu made the decision, but ultimately it was for the best. Every time they visited and saw how happy Jackal was, both men knew they made the right decision. Yet, it hurt Natsu every time he saw his brother and his wife together, knowing that he hid something like this from him.

No, Natsu didn't fear Zeref, he feared his own Marchkin. If Marchkin ever gave into his truest self, no one was ever safe. "I know," Natsu whispered before he went back to enjoying the meal his nephew made.

* * *

How dare his uncle think he could take his bride? How dare they nuzzle her soft mounds? No one touches his bride but him and Mard was done with waiting. He would show them all the truth, that Lucy was his. Tonight he was going to make her a vampire and do the ceremony before another person thought they could take her.

Mard found a spot to land and set his Lucy down, she took timid steps away and he followed. Slowly he felt his beloved Etherious demon form pull back into his body as he changed. Lucy stopped moving away and she craned her head up to stare at him in wonder.

"Mard?" she asked, her voice tiny.

"Yes, I am going to make you mine," he said as he wrapped his arms around her and tried to kiss her.

Lucy was tense in his arms, he looked into her large eyes, seeing the trails of makeup run down her cheeks, "It's me, relax Rosebud."

"D-Demon…"

"Etherious form, it's nothing you ever have to worry about. Give yourself to me," he said, trying to soothe back her fears and kiss her.

_I'm scared_ , she thought and he could feel it. Mard knew his Etherious form was frightening to look at and it was most likely her first time seeing a change like that. It was necessary, Uncle Natsu wouldn't give him space with his bride, and then to remind him that Lucy wasn't true, yet.

_No reason to be, I have you and I'm going to make you mine._

_Mard…_

"All mine, surrender," he said and as she nibbled her lip, she nodded. The vampire immediately laid her on the ground, his body covering hers as he kissed her, this time she reciprocated.

Mard could feel the need and raw calling of nature overwhelm his senses. He had been pushed too far and was going to end their suffering. The incident today and Uncle Natsu's instance on taking his bride had been the final straw. That was it, Mard Geer had hit his personal limit and to hell with everything. He needed the bride under him, needed to keep her safe, needed to make her, his.

She fluttered under his touch as he placed open mouth kisses to her jaw and down the column of her throat. Her fingers weaved through his hair as he grabbed her breast pulling a mewl form her swollen lips. Mard would make this quick, it would save her sanity in the long run and his.

He summoned a rose with a long stem and as he held her close he looked into her eyes. Lucy was everything he wanted in his life, his brat, his puzzle, his queen in many ways and to have her he would set aside his need to wait. Mard would radically redefine the laws of the universe for her. Another passionate embrace and he stabbed the rose through her heart. Her body tensed as he quickly bit her neck and drew out her precious blood.

"Mard-d…" she moaned and for a moment he could smell her arousal before her heart started slowing. Leave it to his bride to find the pain of having her heart lanced to be erotic.

He counted and waited, listening to each delicate gasp for air and the slower ticks of her heartbeat. Mard needed to get the timing right, and for who he is that was the easy part.

There he could feel the initial slip of her soul and quickly he pieced his wrist and forced his blood into her mouth. He held her head up tilting her so that the blood would follow gravity and reach her insides. Lucy was pale and turning colder every second, though he should be nervous he wasn't, something about this was going better than it ever had before.

Mard didn't know how to define it, faith he thought, he had faith in his little bride to emerge true. Her eyes closed he felt the blood come back up her mouth, she was full and not the part he detested, waiting. He knew her soul was still attached, that was a good sign and as he stared at her face he could see soft shifts of her eyes behind closed lids.

It was a tense few minutes as Mard watched her eyes flicker beneath the lids. He held her close hoping with all of his being that she will emerge as a vampire. Mard would not be wrong again, no and he would end his life if he lost her. That would be what he would do, if Lucy proved to be an error he would summon his scythe, Memento Mori, and erase his own existence. This way he would not have to live without his Rosebud.

How she managed to mean so much to him in such a short period of time, he didn't know. Though he bet it was because she is his true bride and only she would have that power over him. To make him crazy, to make him hard, to make him soft and make him want her more. Tonight he felt her jealousy and need call out as he held his Lumi, knowing that she was desperate to give him children of their own.

He had seen and felt so much from her mind in these last few days and all of it was akin to seeing parts of himself wrapped into a more perfect package. Mard desired her since the first time he saw her photo and in person, he barely felt in control of his own being. Though he knew that as it got harder for him, it was eating her apart as well. When she wakes as a vampire, he will have his bride and all will be well with the both of them. Though he'll have to go through her growing pains as she adjusts to the heights at which he lives.

For new vampires the transition is dangerous, as they often lose control. Mard was not worried about that, he could control her and would delight in all the ways to exert that. He had barely shown her anything of his favorite forms of play but to imagine her strapped to a St. Andrew's Cross begging for her freedom and release, made his cock twitch painfully. Dominating and controlling her and letting her little budding masochist free would save her sanity in her fledgling days. It would also give him much to enjoy.

A soft whimper escaped her as a bit of his blood trickled from her mouth. She closed her mouth and he watched her swallow, loving how her muscles moved. Lucy did not wince under tasting his blood and Mard considered that a good sign. Her eyes finally opened and they looked clearer, little flecks of gold shining like stars in them. He held on to hope as his thumb pressed against her chin and opened her mouth.

Mard's eyes widened, no fangs. That couldn't be right, no, she had to have turned. He should be staring at a set of small pointed fangs ready to tear into his flesh. Not another failure, he couldn't take the pain running through his soul, the shards of ice racing down his veins. Lucy was to be his true bride and at his side or under his dominance until the stars blacked out of reality.

He looked up at the stars, the tears streaming down his face as he readied to roar and curse the divine for this turn. Mard knew what he had to do, his heart shattered but he could not let go of her. Even if she was a ghoul, he could have her, couldn't he? Couldn't he defy their ways just to have her for a while longer before death played at her body and soul. As she slowly decomposed of mind and body into something inhumane. A small while, a few years to have her, to have his heart.

He'd already broken tradition, didn't wait for the full moon and didn't use the ancient knife to do this. He wasn't punished for that, couldn't be. Uncle Natsu told him once that the ceremony was bullshit, natural mating patterns didn't need pomp and circumstance they just needed fate. Mard believed him, he should have been right, this should have been right. He should be staring at small little fangs in place of blunt teeth.

"Rosebud…" he whispered as she touched his cheek.

"My Sire," she said and as he leaned down to kiss her, her back suddenly arched. Her whole body began to convulse as she screamed into his chest. Mard didn't know what to do and sent out a mental scream for his Uncle.

It didn't take long, Natsu was kneeling beside them as Lucy convulsed and Mard felt his lip tremble. He had seen many ceremonies but this had happened at none of them, not even the few he had tried.

"It's okay Marchkin, I'm here," he said, pushing back his hair.

"Uncle….she's…." his voice trailed off. Uncle Natsu took her hand and closed his eyes, the demon smiled softly and shook his head. How could his uncle look so unfazed by this, Mard was at a near panic. What did he know? Mard growled and Uncle Natsu just kept smiling at him as he took his hand into his searing one.

Mard felt a pulse of warmth around him, almost enough to knock him over. "Marchkin, get ready," Uncle Natsu said with a grin and Mard had no clue what he meant.

His shirt ripped open and searing pain lanced through him as Lucy bit him above his heart. He cradled her head, encouraging her to drink from him. "That's it, Lucy drink," he commanded as he kissed the top of her head.

It was sweet relief to feel her hunger as she pulled from his blood. Fresh claws tore down his sleeves as she squirmed against him. His uncle let out a cheer as Mard held his fledgling in his arms. Mard was never so grateful, so humbled and overwhelmed in joy as Lucy hurt him with her frenzied feeding.

"Yes, take it, take my blood, be my true bride," he moaned, the feeling of her bite turning to pleasure.

"She's just a little delayed, it happens, it means she's a strong bride," he said and Mard was relieved. Around him for a few seconds he saw his Uncle Sting and Father as they had pillows and blankets in their arms. Mard gave them each a nod as he shuddered under Lucy's frenzy.

He couldn't move but didn't need to as his family made them a bed in the garden. Lucy pulled back and he saw her lips smeared with blood he found himself barely able to hold himself back. Mard didn't have to do anything as Lucy surged up and pushed him to his back, his head hitting the pillows.

"Congrats  _Floare_ ," his father whispered and Mard could hear the men leave at their accelerated pace.

"Want," Lucy sneered and he saw her eyes flicker in a red glaze as he let her rip his expensive suit from him. Mard was naked and ready for his bride, the little vampiress would need to be claimed and he would not stop her.

This is what they wanted Mard could feel it and hear her thoughts scattered about her as she used her little claws to tear apart her dress. Rosebud growled at him, the demonic sound sending a shiver through his body.

Her sex bore down on his erection and he could feel her juices coating him. They moaned at the feeling and Mard grabbed her beautiful curves and flipped them over, pinning his bride beneath him. Though he was enjoying her frenzy he would not give up all of his control. He already gave up much of it to be in this moment.

He crushed his mouth on hers and felt the way her her fangs dragged along his tongue, cutting him so she could take more of his blood into him. Mard knew he would be weak for a while after this night but that was fine, nothing was dumb enough to attack him in his own home. He also knew his father, uncles and servants were spread out in the garden protecting them.

"Mard, please…" she begged around his mouth.

It felt like a command and Mard was helpless against her needs, now that he could feel her so much more intensely. Her desire was calling out to him and he had to give into it, to sate his bride and himself, finish the joining.

A pause and he considered that she would need to be ready for him, he would need to stretch her or he would hurt her. "Hurt me, take me Sire," she breathed and Mard was stunned.

_Can you hear me?_  He asked inside of his own head.

_Yes_ , she replied and Mard had no idea about that. Their thoughts connected now, his mind would never be his own. That was a bit unsettling.

Lucy grabbed the back of his head, her strength a bit more than it used to be and she forced his mouth on hers as she pushed against him, rolling them over again. If his bride wanted a fight for sexual dominance he would give it to her. Mard sat up and pulled her hair, wrenching her head back, she moaned as he licked at her delicate skin.

_Careful, pusti, I love a good fight_ , he thought as his lips assaulted her throat.

His hands tried to hold her still as she struggled to push up on her legs so she force herself on him. That would not work, not for this, not for how he wanted to let her feel him in the most carnal of ways. His hands on her waist he pushed her off of his lap and before she could move he pinned her face into the pillows.

He wrapped a hand around her throat with the other hand he angled himself up to her entrance. Lucy was fighting him, her body squirming against his and that was a blessing in and of itself. She would be a difficult bride, and as Uncle Natsu said, a powerful one but Lucy was powerful before this moment, she just never realized it.

_Think too much, fuck me Sire,_  she growled and he could feel her emotions wrap around him. Her lust and need ripping through him, forcing his body to obey and without a thought.

Mard tilted his hips back and thrust deep into her, they both screamed at his intrusion. Though what surprised Mard was that he didn't feel a virgin barrier. He knew she was lusty, but he thought she was pure. Had she been claimed and her father wrong? Did it matter?

_An empty soda bottle, I played with myself a lot,_  she said and Mard was relieved, he was still her only and he claimed his bride untouched. That didn't really matter but still, it was something he wanted.

Her sex quivered around him, fueling his desire, his lust and primal force of his being. He didn't bother with a warning as he began a heavy lust driven pace into her body. Her hips tilted a bit just enough to drive him deeper as he used the power of his being to piston into his bride. She could take it, vampires had unnaturally quick healing factors.

Mard was grateful he didn't need to hold back but with his own blood loss he didn't feel as quick or as strong as he would have been. Mard summoned what he could for strength to give his bride all the passion he was feeling.

He held her hips letting his own slam into her at a fury and pace only a vampire could manage. Each time he pulled back he relished in feeling her quiver around him. Her slick channel wanting to close around him and hold him into her. She was ferocious in how she moved her muscles, playing against him as he moved.

"Ye-yes...oh….stars!" she cried.

Mard would never tire of this feeling, it would not be possible. Even as she stretched and tore for him to accept his girth, every time he would never tire. Rosebud didn't realize she was locked in this body form, being a vampire she would never change and each time he took her, would always feel like this. Like a vice grip around his cock and he would feel this often.

"My bride...you belong to me," he said noticing how she was meeting his movements.

"Your's...god… Sire!" she shouted.

He slammed harder into her, his hand gripping her hip and the other tightening around her throat and holding her still. She reached back and clawed against his outer thigh while screaming in ecstasy. Mard loved it all, the pain, the pleasure her feeling, her sounds, and the fact he barely had to hold back. Letting his length feel all of her and abuse her channel in ways that sang to the darkest parts of his being.

Her body milked him hard as she tightened around him. The sensation of her pleasure made his own rise and he let a bit of his fierceness come out as he pistoned into her.

Lucy whimpered and cried as Mard felt the pressure build low in his gut, his balls tightening.

" _Din nou_ , Lucy…" he commanded, wanting her to cum again for him.

"I-I can't," she panted.

"You can, give me more," Mard let go of her hip to play with her clit as he kissed her shoulder.

He didn't know what she could handle but his hips forgot to care as Mard let his pleasure ride through him and overtake the common sense in his head. Lucy screamed, different than before, this was richer, darker, accented in a demon growl. His eyes rolled into the back of his head to hear it as he bit into the back of her neck desperate to taste her empowered blood.

He could feel her constrict again, so soon after the first and shudder around him as her cries became the definition of ecstasy. His little bride and her need for pain, no longer human she could handle as much as he dared to give her. Mard would dare to give her all of it and watch her heal and then demand more from him.

His release shot up through his cock as he thrust into her, wanting her to take all of it. Lucy whimpered as he slowed his movements, trying to come down from his high and soothe her back into reality.

Mard crashed next her and it didn't take longer than a few seconds before his Rosebud sunk her fangs into him. He was already low from what she took and he knew this would knock him out completely. The vampire tried to not worry, she couldn't kill him, he'd replenish in a few hours due to his age and power, but for a short while he wouldn't be able to protect her and knew she'd be hungry again soon.

* * *

Lucy was ravenous, she could not get enough of Mard's taste and didn't care if it was his blood. She also wanted more sex, so much more of it but she was also tired. Her body never felt so alive but worn at the same time.

"Enough, sleep," Mard commanded and she let go of his skin, savoring every little drop she could get.

"Sire…" she whined rubbing against the powerful leg nestled between hers.

"Rosebud, you have to learn control, rest now," he said and Lucy felt a wave of calm wash over her. She squirmed into his embrace and let herself give into the relaxation as he pulled a blanket over them and gently Lucy found herself falling asleep on him.

Something pulled at her, it was hot but then she felt a rush of water over her. Lucy struggled to breathe, she struggled to do anything. Mard, she could barely hear him scream for her, least she thought he was trying to scream. Lucy didn't know, she was heavy and weak and hungry, oh stars above was she hungry for more of Mard and his blood and his body. She wanted her Sire in a way she could not comprehend.

Someone hit her, but it wasn't a normal hit, no instead it was hard and she saw stars before she saw black.

* * *

Translations:

A mea! = Mine

Face-mi a mea = Make mine

Floare = Flower (yes, Zeref calls Mard flower)

* * *

Big love and thanks to im ur misconception for proof reading and giving feedback! Love you.

Yes, Uncle Natsu is THAT wild. I loved writing him.

**Thank you to everyone who has kudos, bookmarked and commented, so far.**

**Please kudos, bookmark and comment... it means a metric ton to me.**

_Up next...Betrayal and Newborn Vampiress_


	9. Taken

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

* * *

Jude paced in front of his large wooden desk as he waited for the mages to return. He'd been keen to have that girl back, only because she was worth a sizeable sum. This was a point of pride for the businessman, he would not be swindled. If Mard Geer could not see reason, the Duke was eagerly waiting for a phone call. The amount was smaller but certainly more than a miserable penny.

Jose sat back sipping on some kind of fruity drink and making some kind obnoxious humming sound. It distracted Jude for a moment as he looked at the strange dark mage. The mage was appalling on many levels, but he was useful and that's what mattered. Jude could overlook his black lips, bony face, unusual crazy eyes and strange dress because Phantom Lord did not fail.

When Jose started with the straw sucking sounds, Jude stopped and stared at him. Jose blinked, "what? Doesn't everyone enjoy a good suck?"

"Not with that sound, I can have Leo bring you another drink. How much longer?" Jude said, trying to keep a handle on his anger. He hoped Lucy would not come back impure or marked or anything that could taint the next sale of her. If Mard Geer had violated her and she disappointed, he may not bother to get her back. Then that girl would be a useless commodity to sell, though he could lie to the duke easily enough.

"Couple more minutes, tell me Jude, why would you make such a deal with a sexy creature like Mard Geer Tartaros?" he asked as he set his glass on the little table next to the brown leather chair he sat in.

"Twenty-five million, he was the highest bidder and instead I got a penny and a scroll I can't read," Jude admitted.

Jose arched a brow and smiled, "may I see the scroll?"

There was no harm in it and perhaps Jose could translate it for him. So far, Jude had no luck finding a translator. He even brought it to a university, the Dead Languages Department and no one recognized it. Well no one sane, one student said it was  _Infernai_  the language of demons. Jude began to question the educational system if kids made such wild claims.

He took out the scroll and handed it to Jose who sat up quickly in the chair as he took the item. The mage all but purred as he smelt the paper and Jude had to wonder if this man had any sanity left, who gets excited over paper that has a faint whiff of roses on it?

Jude poured himself a tumbler of gin and leaned against his desk as Jose uncoiled the scroll,. The dark mage began to whisper, "what was that Jose? Can you read this?"

"It's Infernai, High Infernai to be exact, oh I bet that beautiful Rune vampire wrote this. Mard Geer's twin brother is in charge of contract demons, you know the ones you meet in crossroads?"

Jude swallowed his gin before shooting a disbelieving look at Jose. A kid in college he could ignore but how foolish would he be to not trust a mage. After all mages were originally legend but Jude knew they were real, proof sitting across from him.

"Vampires, demons and Infernai, Jose that sounds more like a recipe for a bad work of fiction, not reality."

"Heard a song once that said reality is the only word that should always be used in quotes." Jose recoiled the scroll and set it in his lap before leaning forward, "it's all real Jude. Mard Geer Tartaros is a vampire, not just any either," he sighed, "he's King of the Underworld and the eldest son of the Vampire King and Ruler of Hell himself. You, my darling benefactor have signed a deal with a man who makes makes my blood happy!"

"That's imposs…"

Jose grabbed the scroll and stood up, suddenly he was in front of Jude, "let me guess, you had a headache the next day and things got hazy and you remember one set of details, but the scroll is proof of another?"

Jude tried to swallow but his mouth was dry as he looked at the dark mage. It all tracked, everything that was strange or odd about the entire deal. He was under some kind of demon vampire spell, now Jude was angry.

Then he had a realization, what if he made that girl a demon or something no longer human and pure? "Would he hurt his purchase?"

Jose tilted his head back and forth for a bit before the doors opened. In walked the mages of Phantom Lord and they had that girl with them. Only that thing was not his daughter, it was filthy and naked, as she thrashed in the large man's arms.

"Mard! Oh god! I need him! Let me go!" she shrieked.

"Silence it, now!" Jude roared, staring at the naked girl.

"Dad?" she asked as her large brown eyes met his.

"Oh lovely, she's got fangs, did you catch them mating?" Jose asked.

"It was hawt! She's his true bride and it was better than the last couple porns I've seen," the mage in red with black and white hair said before he started making a lewd gesture.

"Juvia is glad the plan went off without problem. Juvia thinks we should leave soon. The earth prison won't hold the vampire for long," the blue haired woman said.

"Fine, toss her in a guest room, just chain her up," Jude said trying to hide his agitation. Now his daughter was ruined and a vampire? Jude needed another drink, a bunch of questions for Jose and to wait for Mard Geer to call.

"No!" she cried out trying to get out of the grip of the large man in a green cloak. In a swift strike he bashed her upside the head and she went still.

"Don't bruise her," Jude commanded, more worried about sale than if she felt pain.

"Yes sir," the woman said before the four of them and that thing exited the room.

"You know Jude, we'll be leaving in a bit, I'm crazy but I love life," Jose said.

"You will not, name your price," Jude said, certain he was going to keep the mages around for a while. If this whole vampire thing was true, his staff of humans would not be enough. Least he didn't think so. How should he know; this was not something he ever considered in his life.

"Oh, I love this game! Let's see, half of what Mard Geer was going to pay you, twelve point five million Jewels."

"Done, have a drink and tell me, what was that thing that used to be my human child?" Jude asked as he sat down behind his desk and turned on his laptop to start the money transfer.

* * *

He heard the anguished roar of his nephew and Natsu's whole world stopped. Not knowing what happened he ended his friendly sparring with Gajeel, Cobra, Sting, and Jackal to rush to Marchkin's side.

This was not supposed to happen.

He was supposed to watch over his family.

Natsu failed. He just knew he did, the pain in the roar too real to be anything other than heartbreak.

As he vaulted over the hedge he saw his nephew, naked and pulling on his hair as he frantically screamed "Rosebud!" The bedding was wet and dirty and the large amount of dirt next to the makeshift bed and caked all over Mard said that Marchkin had pulled himself out of his earthly prison.

Sting was beside him as Natsu stood, frozen in shock, "I'll call Merlin and Zeref."

"Merlin yes, leave Zeref out of this, he took Cana home," Natsu replied. That was foolish, he should have told Zeref to stay with them, not tend to his wife. Cana could have slept it off in one of the lavish guest rooms, it would not have been the first time. However, Natsu knew this had nothing to do with Cana, this was his brother trying to give his son space.

Natsu had seen some of their fights, though they fiercely loved each other, father and son had a strained relationship. He didn't have all the details, but it was enough to where Natsu knew to stay out of it. Well, not really stay out of it, he hated seeing his brother so torn apart about his eldest son. His little hope was that with a good bride at his side, perhaps Mard could finally let things go and build more of the future Natsu saw for him.

"Sunshine?" Cobra asked and Natsu watched as the poison demon took what was less than confident steps towards his family. He knew Cobra was a close friend, perhaps the only other person besides Merlin and Freed, Mard ever confided in.

"She's gone!" Mard roared and Natsu felt his heart sink into his stomach.

"Motherfucker…" Cobra whispered. The demon dropped to his knees in front of Marchkin and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket. The butler wiped the dirt and tears off of Mard's face. To anyone who didn't understand their relationship this would look awkward but Natsu knew it was just simply what Cobra did. Mard didn't like dirt and hated his own emotions, the simple action of wiping his face was helping his nephew to calm down.

Natsu felt a rush of wind as Jackal ran by him, holding a house robe. He watched as the explosive demon draped it over Mard's shoulders. "She's a fledgling, she's my bride…" he whispered as Cobra nodded and Jackal put his cheek on top of Mard's head.

Sting grabbed Natsu's hand and he knew that after all these years his mate still was choked up around the little pup. It was just another decision that Natsu made and someone was hurt by it. Sometimes his heart felt more like a curse than a blessing and he could feel his own self-hatred rise. His mate squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek, it was their little signal that Natsu had to take a breath and calm himself.

The magic around him began to ripple and spring to life and for a moment reality distorted and out came Merlin. She was not happy, that much Natsu knew and that was without seeing her face. Instead he watched her kneel beside Mard, tuck a strand of hair behind his ear and their eyes met.

Both being telepaths, Natsu knew that they were communicating at literally the speed of thought. They had always done that, and it used to drive him and Sting nuts when they would have to babysit. Only because Merlin was truly the troublemaker of the group, then again, it's what he loved about his niece-in-law.

"Bloody hell!" she said before pulling back her red robe sleeve and putting her slim wrist under Marchkin's nose. "Drink, my blood is the best ye got, get to it."

Mard nodded and began to drink as Merlin's head dipped back and her eyes turned full black. He'd seen that before, she was tapping into her magic and around him the Etheramo particles began to circle and rise. So many colors, red, blue, green, brown, black and white the little balls of unrefined magic they lit up the area. Natsu kept his focus on his nephew as they waited patiently for whatever news Merlin could pull from the Etheramo itself.

She spoke in an ancient language, conversing with magic as if speaking to children. Considering who her father is, magic had no choice but to respond to the woman. Natsu had to admit it was beautiful to watch Merlin work magic, it was full of life and different than how he tapped into fire or how Marchkin would work with his Curse abilities. Magic was a force of nature, much like himself but it existed in a strange space between reality and beyond.

"It's not your fault," Sting whispered to him.

"I shouldn't have…" Natsu used his scarf and wiped his face. This is what his brother always got on him about, his immaturity and inability to say no to fun.

When Gajeel had called him out and called him puny, Natsu was all fired up. Their fight was fine until Gajeel hit Cobra and Cobra jumped into the mix, which set off Sting and that triggered Jackal into the fight. The fight had been fun and Natsu hadn't laughed so hard in a long time but now…

He slid a glance at Gajeel, the iron slayer was emotionless, which wasn't completely odd for the large brute. The timing was crazy and Natsu didn't like coincidences, they always felt cheap as an explanation. This had to be a coordinated strike, someone wanted Marchkin's bride but how or why?

Natsu knew his nephew, no one should have known about her. Cana didn't even have her name when she posted something about Marchkin having a bride on  _Fiendbook_. Maybe it didn't matter, maybe all that mattered was that Marchkin had a bride. That would be all his enemies needed for an excuse, though between Mard and Zeref, there were plenty of foes out there looking to hurt his family.

An explosion from the southeast caught everyone's attention as red lightning streaked through the sky. Natsu swallowed hard as he could hear the pounding of hooves against the ground. This was not good, well not for the people who took Luce.

He tackled his mate to the side, narrowly being missed by the large pallid warhorse. It had put on its silver and black armor and snorted before rising to its hind legs in a powerful show. The sky angry it turned red. A storm had brewed and as Reaper slammed its front hooves to the ground more lightning touched the sky and thunder so powerful, Natsu grabbed his head in a vain attempt to block out the deafening sound.

"You okay?" he asked as he looked into his mate's eyes. His heavy frame pinning the blonde to the ground. Any other time this would have been fun but not now.

"I'm good," Sting nibbled his bottom lip, "never seen Reaper angry."

Natsu nodded, "Death will ride tonight, we should let him."

"Baby, we can't…" Natsu quickly kissed his mate.

Looking into his concerned eyes, Natsu ran a hand through his hair, "we have to, but we are going to help."

Sting's eyes lit up, "oh I love it when you go all demon." Natsu chuckled for a moment before he rose to standing pulling his mate up with him. He looked over and watched as the magic settled down and not only was Marchkin clean of all the dirt, he was ready to reap.

Marchkin's hair was pulled back in a massive cascading ponytail, a few wisps of hair framed his face as bangs dusted over his red eyes. He wore his long coat, black leather with silver white trimming in a swirled design along the lapel, heavy silver cuffs, the tattered bottom stopped at mid-calf. He wore no shirt and grey leather pants with black straps up the legs. In his right hand was his scythe, Memento Mori, the large weapon had a black iron hand and the blade itself fashioned from Marchkin's own soul.

He should say a prayer for the people who made the biggest mistake of their lives, but as he thought of his mate, Natsu knew he'd do the same thing too. Joining his nephew, the Lord of Fire dropped his mortal skin and let his horns and wings come to the surface.

They looked at each other, "I'm sorry," Natsu whispered.

"If she is harmed, you won't have time to feel sorrow," Marchkin said and Natsu heard nothing in his nephew's voice. Not a shred of emotion, it was enough to kill him.

* * *

Lucy felt something warm surround her and it startled her. She jumped, pulling herself from the dark abyss of her consciousness. In her nightmares she was back at her father's house and away from Mard. That couldn't be right.

She cracked open an eye and blinked slowly as she realized she was in a bathtub. Lucy recognized this bathtub and the water felt too damn cold. Someone poured water down her shoulder and Lucy looked over and into the wide eyes of Aries.

"I'm sorry, he t-told me to cl-clean you," the young woman said as she dropped the washcloth. As the pink haired maid reached for it, Lucy grabbed her wrist.

She could feel it, the blood flowing through Aries, and it sounded wonderful. Lucy breathed in, she could smell everything from the cleaner used on the countertop, the soap, the tang of blood in the air and it made her teeth hurt. Hungry, Lucy was desperately hungry, she needed this hole in her stomach filed.

Once she was full she would be fine, but to eat to consume and to take the life that was offered. The feeling of power as she fed from her Sire, it hurt her to be without the rush of life flowing in her mouth. Lucy brought the wrist to her nose and breathed deep.

Soap, cleaners, a lavender lotion and life, she could smell it all and she flicked her tongue out to taste the skin next to her lips.

"Pl-please, don't," she muttered as her heartbeat increased into a delightful thunder. The feeling of her blood, her life essence rushing under the skin was intoxicating and Lucy felt herself become excited at the thrill of the hunt.

Here she was hunter, not prey, she was powerful and fierce. It boiled over inside of her, the need to feel life, to feel excitement to fight, fuck and feast. It was all there, all she had to do was give in.

Lucy looked at the woman seeing tears gather in the corners of her eyes as she paled. The fluttering of her skin at her neck caught Lucy's sharp eyes and like a siren song she leaned towards it. A hand curling behind Aries's head she pulled the maid into the bathtub.

Aries screamed and tried to fight but all it did was add a warmth to her blood and invite Lucy to enjoy this. She bit into the maid's neck and as the rush of blood filled her mouth, her eyes rolled up as she enjoyed it. The maid screamed and thrashed but Lucy held her close until suddenly the woman softly whimpered and moaned. Then Lucy smelt a mixture of arousal in the air, it only added to her desire for more of this feeling.

The blood was nothing like Mard's it lacked power, substance, closeness and rightness in it's taste. This was weak, and she would need more, so much more and Lucy kept drinking. She drank as much as she could.

She drank till the maid stopped moving.

She drank until it was silent.

Too silent, not even a heartbeat, just the sound of Lucy sucking.

Lucy pulled back and looked at the maid, she expected to see arousal in Aries's face, betting the maid came as she fed. She knew Mard's bite was intoxicating, surely her maid had only passed out.

Silence.

Lucy felt for a pulse but there was none. Aries's lips were blue as her skin was ashen. Limp and useless there was no more life inside of the maid and Lucy began to shake her.

"Aries?" she asked, half panicked. There was no response, there was nothing just a husk of a once vibrant and sweet young lady.

Lucy jumped out of the bathtub, leaving the corpse to float in the water. She slipped and landed on her ass, yipping in the process. The door slammed opened and she saw Virgo standing there, her eyes wide and a disgusting scent came off her.

Lucy didn't like the scent, but she liked how flushed with life Virgo was. Aries wasn't her Sire, the blood just not the same. What was wrong with her, how could she be only thinking of more blood?

"L-Lucy, Aries?" Virgo asked as she covered her mouth. The maid took a couple steps back and Lucy knew she was going to run. That would only cause attention and she needed to get out of there. How the hell she would do that she didn't know but she knew she was strong.

She stood up and lunged at Virgo, Lucy tackled her straight to the ground and landed on top of her. Her hand over Virgo's mouth she stared at the woman, Virgo was trying to scream and Lucy didn't want that but she didn't want to hurt another person.

_Hurt her, fight, feel the rage. Taken from your Sire, how dare this house. You are not property of Jude Heartfilia. Destroy it all. Gain vengeance!_

The voice in her head, sounded much like hers but darker with a growl to it. The compulsion to follow its advice as it whispered was too strong. It reminded Lucy of all those times she would get an impulse to do something naughty, only this voice was stronger.

Lucy was also angry, she should not have killed Aries, but she had a right to eat, didn't she? She didn't deserve to be taken from her home. She didn't deserve to be sold like property. She didn't deserve Jude's abuse and this treatment.

"No!" Lucy roared. She was done with this, she was going to her new home and she was not letting these people, these sacks of blood and meat stop her. Hell be damned, Lucy was done being the weakling.

"All of you watched it happen to me!" Lucy screamed as she squeezed on Virgo's neck until she heard a crunching sound and the life in her eyes was gone.

They watched.

They knew.

Now they will pay.

The dark thoughts took over Lucy's mind as she stood up. Taking in her surroundings she was in a guest room; the pig didn't even bother to give her her old room. No, tossed in one of the guest rooms near the servants' quarters. Where Jude liked to put the guests he didn't care for but had to show manners in treating them.

This is all she was to that man.

"No more!" she screamed.

The bedroom door opened and in came Capricorn, gun drawn. Lucy hissed at the man, she ran towards him and he fired his gun at her. The bullets tore into her stomach, they burned her flesh and pierced her organs, but the pain was akin to a bee sting. She stopped and looked down, laughing at the blood and the lack of pain.

"What the fuck?" Capricorn asked as Lucy watched the wounds slowly close and the bullets push back out. She had never seen anything like it, except for movies but in the movies, they don't tell you that it also hurts as the skin, organs and muscle knit close and the hot lead pushes back out.

The bullets in her hand, Lucy threw them at Capricorn, distracting the large man as she jumped on him. She punched him, hearing the bone under his cheek shatter in the force of her strike. He tried to fight her off him as she straddled his chest, but Lucy would not budge. Instead she hit him again, enjoying the sound of his pain and the thrill of the darkness.

In the span of seconds his head no longer existed, just a collapsed skin bag in place of it. He no longer moved, and Lucy found herself licking the blood off her knuckles. The thrill of this power was everything. More than she ever had in her life, now she could fight back. Now she could tear apart this world, these people didn't deserve to live.

_They watched and did nothing!_

Lucy stood and walked to the bathroom, Virgo's outfit was mostly still clean, and Lucy tried to remove the dress, but it tore to shreds. Her new strength a lot higher than she thought and the fabric was like cobwebs in her fingers. She nibbled her lip and looked behind the bathroom door, at least there was a robe, that would have to do.

Slowly and gently she put it on and tied the belt, it wasn't much but at least she wouldn't have to walk around naked. Lucy looked over the scene, the servants dead around her and she did this.

Pain went through her stomach, she was hungry already? She just fed. Then again Aries wasn't Mard, of course she was already hungry, and she made a mental note that human blood, yeah not that good.

Mard, now his blood and his body. Lucy thought through how he tasted, how he felt as he took her. How beautiful his fangs were and the pain he could cause. A soft whimper escaped her lips as her body heated at the thought of his naked form. Toned muscles, pale skin and an elegant face that made her once beating heart skip.

She wanted to touch herself, feel pleasure but she knew this was not the time. No, Lucy needed to get the hell out of here and she needed to feed again. If only she could find something stronger, perhaps one of the people who took her or a stronger human. Damn, maybe she should have drained the bodyguard.

Her thoughts kept swirling around in her head as her emotions became a torrent through her very being. Lucy wanted to feel more, she wanted to feel that rush of feeding, of lust, of death, of excitement. Above all she wanted her freedom and her Sire.

Once upon a time Lucy would have rolled over and just dealt with it. Not this Lucy, no, this Lucy was strong, and she was not going to sit by. She was going to get what she wanted, do the things she craved and seek out what she desires most. No one in this damn house would stop her.

How dare Jude try? How dare he ruin her life again? How dare he try to hurt her and keep her as property?

"Never again," she growled as she ripped open the door, laughing as it pulled clear off the hinges. Wood splinters and pieces of plaster flying around her.

Standing in front of the door was a man in red with black and white hair. She took a sniff of the air, oh he smelt like power and she bet his blood was hot. The man blinked at her and she curled her finger at him, "want to play?"

The man shook his head and Lucy could feel warmth flow over her and she could all but picture the man coming to her. How he would wrap his arms around her and she'd let him kiss her, oh she could promise much. Opening her robe slightly, she licked her bottom lip, and sent a mental plea to him, "come, play."

The man was breathing hard as he took steps toward her, shaking his head. Lucy took a step forward letting the robe part, showing off one shapely leg. "Come on big boy, I promise to bite nice."

He took another step before he jumped at her, Lucy giggled and let him tackle her. As he tried to press his lips to hers she wrapped one leg around him and flipped him to his back. She trailed her nose down his neck as she ground against the forming erection.

"Yeah baby," he breathed, and Lucy could feel him warm up further, almost to the point where she thought he might catch fire. Sulfur, she smelt sulfur as the man chuckled, "I like it hot."

Lucy rolled off him right before a massive burst of flames came from his palms. He could have hurt her, could have killed her and that made her angry. How dare he try, he'd done enough for one night and right now he had something she needed, vitality.

Summoning what she could for speed she dove for his leg and sunk her fangs into it. His blood was disgusting and loaded with heat. It was all but burning her tongue and throat as she fought to swallow as much as she could. Fire hit upside her head and she smelt her burned hair.

Pain caused stars to flash before her eyes and all that did was anger her more. Rearing up Lucy tore out a large chunk of his leg in the process. She watched blood spray everywhere as he screamed.

"You bitch!" he cursed, and Lucy ignored it as she quickly covered the arterial spray with her mouth. Her hand went over his mouth, to silence him and as she squeezed she felt his teeth crunch as they were crushed.

She drank for a few more seconds, hating the feeling of the burning liquid but it was so much more powerful than Aries. This blood might sustain her, it had to be enough, to let her do what she needed to do.

Leaning up she licked her lips as the man laid there with a crushed mouth and no more life to him. Her stomach recoiled at the feeling of the heated blood inside of her and she covered her mouth to try and not vomit. It started to cramp, a sharp violent pain through her body and Lucy wasn't certain what was happening, but she knew she felt like she was roasting. As if her blood was boiling and it hurt.

Lucy leaned forward and as she coughed a massive stream of blood came out of her. As it touched the ground it lit on fire and her eyes went wide. She scrambled to standing and ran, spitting fire blood and fighting through the pain. Suddenly Leo stood in front of her and she crashed into him.

"L-Lucy?" he asked and though at one point she had a teenage crush on the man, right now she could only hope his blood might stop this.

"Sorry Leo," she said before she ripped through his coat, vest and shirt to expose his skin and she pierced his chest and began to drink. He shook under her before he started moaning and Lucy's eyes rolled up as she heard the erotic sounds. This was so sensual, taking his essence like a drug, the perfect high the ultimate power and it was cooling down the fire blood in her body.

When Leo stopped moaning she got up, noticing how the fire was racing down the hallway towards them. Lucy kissed his lifeless lips before getting up and racing down the hallway. She was going to find her father and she knew he'd be in the office or the panic room.

The panic room of course!

She knew the escape tunnel from there, odds are he would be alone because he wouldn't care about anyone. Lucy heard voices and could smell people coming in her direction. About twenty feet and she could duck into the library, from there she would take the hidden passage. She put her chin to her chest and ran faster than she ever ran in her life, ducking into the library and hiding behind a bookcase as people went running by.

They were screaming about someone named Totomaru, who was most likely the man who burned her insides. Though she'd like to punish them all, she wasn't certain how much strength she had to handle all of them. After all they pulled her from Mard's arms.

Mard.

She had to get out of this hell and so she made her way to the fireplace. Lucy pulled on the fake fire poker as the fireplace turned, she ducked inside and using her strength forced it shut, breaking the gears in the process. The expectation was that this should be a dark hallway, but she could see easily down it as if the lights were on. For a moment she thought that was one of the coolest things ever.

_Kill him, get free. Must feel the blood, power!_

That feeling inside of her, that voice whispering to her and spurring her on she just had to follow it. Running down the corridor she saw a door open and light spill in. A large shadow was cast against the wall and Lucy stopped as she saw her father step into the passage.

He didn't notice her as he turned and started walking, though she noticed the glint of silver in his hand. Curious she followed behind him for a moment, pausing at the open door where she saw a young preteen on the floor, his pants around his ankles and blood pooling out of his head from the wound. She could smell the sex, shit and gunpowder in the air.

Her world went solid gold as pure rage and fury overtook her mind. She let out a roar before she moved again, letting whatever this new power and overwhelming feeling was override her mind. Right now, she had one thought, kill.

* * *

_Mard, dun take it out on your uncle,_  Merlin shot into his head.

_He failed,_  Mard mentally sneered. How could he have been so trusting? They should have been safe, this should not have happened. Why was no one guarding them? If anything happened to his bride, he would destroy them all.

_They all did and so did you. Stop being a tyrant for a moment,_  she said with a calm mental voice. For a moment Mard could feel his body relax a fraction as he took in a breath. Merlin was putting a calming enchantment on him, and from the way Reaper's armor began to flicker she hit the stallion with one too.

Mard and his horse were connected to each other, each of the four had their own horses. Reaper had been with him for over two hundred years when Mard had destroyed the previous mantle wearer, Keyes. That demon no longer deserved to be Death, and with Mard ruling the Underworld, it made sense for him to have both positions. Though the battle was glorious, Mard could relive his glory days later.

"Cheater," he growled.

"Yer being a nob," she said before turning her attention to uncle Natsu, "Uncle, ain't your fault. You all wanted some fun, this strike, this was too good."

"What do you mean Merlin?" Cobra asked.

"Strong elemental mages, well-coordinated," Merlin pursed her lips, "four attackers, and they knew enough to cut off their magic a couple miles to the west. I can't track them without switching forms." Mard knew what that meant, part of Merlin was she held onto thirteen sacred Goddess Seals on her body. She could release one, shed her mortal body and take on a divine aspect as the Goddess of the Hunt. The tradeoff would be she would be forced to go to the Celestial Realm to rest for three months, leaving Freed and their babies alone. That price was too high, even if this was a fight for Mard's true bride.

"Mard you should be able to feel your bride, right?" Jackal asked.

"No, the bond is too new…" Mard looked up at the sky for a moment, watching it return to its normal color and the heavy clouds begin to dissipate. The stars would be out soon, and he remembered how his bride talked about how she wanted to study them.

"Mard, who hates you enough to do this?" Sting asked.

"Uncle Sting, they do not make enough paper for me to write that list," Mard shot back.

"Well bossman…. Who's got access to mages?" Cobra's one eye went wide and Mard nodded.

"Heartfilia, Lucy's pedophiliac of a father. He thought he deserved millions for her, for what he has done, I gave him a penny," Mard said as Merlin chuckled, and Cobra smirked. Logically this was the only thing that made sense. As if Mard would not know about Jude bankrolling Phantom Lord.

Phantom Lord was another mercenary company but nowhere near the strength of Tartaros Mercenaries. He'd met Jose several times, the man was bothersome and childish. Though he should not have been so quick to write them off simply because they were smaller. Mard could have kicked himself for that act of hubris. Tonight, it didn't matter if Jose didn't have a soul, the dark mage was going to die for this.

"You what?" Uncle Natsu asked, his eyes wide.

"I paid a penny for her; high society humans sell their offspring. It was either me or some Duke who had plans to chain her to a bed and use her for sex. Tell me Uncle when faced with something like that and knowing that my father was breathing down my neck about my next attempt, what would you have done?" Mard asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Does she know?" Uncle Sting asked.

"Not the amount and not the things her father has done to young boys, let alone who almost bought her had it not been for me," he said finding himself agitated under their questions. Mard did nothing wrong but save a girl from a living hell and con a bad man out of his money. In the vampire's mind he be should be given a medal not the third degree.

"Did you not think what the man would do once he realized you cheated him?" Uncle Natsu asked. One thing about his uncle Mard found interesting was his moral compass. This line of conversation shouldn't have been a surprise but Mard simply did not have much time for it now.

"He is a lowly human, he was never a threat until he chose to become one. Now, if we are done questioning my life choices, I have a bride to rescue," he said walking towards Reaper. The pallid stallion had his armor on but was no longer angry, instead Mard could feel the horse's anxiety. Leave it to his Rosebud to bond with Reaper quickly.

Mard petting Reaper's nuzzle as the horse mentally whined that he wanted an apple from Lucy. The stallion may have also made additional statements about how much he liked her and if Mard fucked this up he was going to kick him. The vampire just continued to soothe his agitated horse, trying to keep himself steady in the process.

_Do you need Freed?_  Merlin asked.

_No, in this case Merlin, if I'm dealing with mages, I could use your help more. I understand if you say no._

_Pish, you know I dun say no to family,_  she said and Mard knew that. Also, with mages running recklessly, this was more her domain than anyone else's. His own Curse powers could handle mages but only to an extent. It was always better to fight mages with a mage and Merlin was the only one here. Everyone else either vampire or demon of some variating type.

_Thank you._

_You're going to take the little ones for a week for this, just so you know._

_I know, they will go back spoiled brats,_  he chided with a light chuckle.

_You are lucky I love ya, ya wanker,_ Merlin mentally laughed.

_Indeed, love you too,_  he said. His oldest friend was the first woman he ever said he loved. Though it was the kind of love that was born out of deep respect and friendship, the kind that said you are my sister in all things. Romance never sparked for them, it just never felt right and when Freed took her as bride, he understood why. They were always meant to be siblings and nothing more, Mard was happy with that.

In a fluid movement, Mard got on top of his horse and grabbed the reins. Reaper whinnied for a moment and stomped the ground. "Uncle Natsu, Merlin, and Uncle Sting come with me. Cobra, Jackal and Gajeel, I want this cleaned up and I want a detailed report on what we are going to do to fix security."

He noticed how Cobra gave him a bit of a grin, "fine Cobra, you can get a small army and be Warlord."

The poison demon fist pumped in the air, "hells yeah bitches! Thinking some hot sexy babe fighters…"

Mard rolled his eyes, "Merlin, if you'd be so kind."

She motioned for his uncles to come over to her and with one hand on Mard's boot and Uncle Natsu holding her other, Mard felt the shift of reality as Merlin teleported them to the location he sent to her mind.

They moved between the planes of existence quickly, taking a shortcut through the Plane of Shadows, not one of Mard's favorite places. The entire plane was nothing more than moving shadows filled with creatures born from nightmares.

Uncle Sting practically glowed here, his holy energy acting like a beacon, this could go badly. Though with Merlin guiding them quickly, this may not be an issue. He watched as shadowed tentacles rose up and tried to grab at the small group.

"Long time, old friend," a voice called out.

"Hey Rogue, just passing through. We still on for next Wednesday?" Sting said as Mard watched the shadows take shape before dissipating leaving a young pale man with black hair and red eyes.

"Yes, though next time I'd like a bit of warning before you take a family walk through my home," he said and Mard looked at the King. He had known Rogue more in a professional context than a personal one for most of this life. Both being Kings of Planes, they would see each other about once a decade for the annual Conference of Leaders. Which was usually just an excuse for all of them to have two days off to drink and party.

"I know, this is an emergency, Mard's bride was taken," Uncle Sting replied as the men hugged quickly.

"Congratulations King Tartaros," Rogue bowed and Mard nodded his head.

"Thank you, King of Shadows."

Rogue extended his arm out and with a small sweeping motion the shadows began to separate, giving them a clear path to the exit portal. They continued moving again and Mard noticed how Rogue was walking beside Uncle Sting as they whispered to each other. Uncle Natsu, did not look heavily amused but then again, he looked more lost than anything else.

Merlin was right he shouldn't have been so harsh. Though it bothered him that his father was gone. He would have thought this would be important enough for Zeref to stay but again the vampire proved that he put a demoness ahead of his family. First it was that one after mama died and now it was Cana and her pack of rejects. Later, Mard would let his father know what a disappointment he was.

They reached the portal and Uncle Sting gave Rogue one last hug before they walked through. As they stepped into reality Mard's eyes went wide as he took in the scene. The estate was on fire and walking through the front door caked in blood, wearing torn clothing and carrying a head was his Rosebud.

Her eyes solid gold as she hissed at all of them before dropping the head and charging. This was one thing Mard was not ready for.

* * *

_Let's give it up for Musicera and im ur misconception for proof reading for me!_

_Phew...so that was intense and hopefully worth the wait._

_Thank you to everyone who has kudo, commented and bookmarked this story! You're the fucking best gift to me._

**If you haven't done it yet... kudo, comment, bookmark!**

_Up next - Phantom Lord!_

* * *

Also if you haven't seen it yet, Unholy Trinity, 3 days, 3 prompts, and 3 villains x Lucy...join the fun!


	10. Bloodlust

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

* * *

In all his years, Mard had never seen gold in a vampire’s eyes. Though before he could analyze that difference he had something much more dangerous to contend with and she was running right at him. The head had been dropped and Mard was certain it was Jude’s, that was not a good sign.

His bride was snarling as she ran at him and he widened his stance, bracing for the impact of her enhanced speed and strength. He also dismissed his scythe, not wanting to risk her cutting herself on the dangerous weapon. She crashed into him and he took a step back to keep himself upright as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

There was no time to do anything else but concentrate on not falling backwards as she assaulted his lips. Mard held her close using the moment to run his hands on her, checking for open wounds, burns or other things she may need help in healing. Though the power of her lust, both for battle and to devour him was clouding his mind as he kissed her back.

Rosebud bit into his neck and hummed in her joy as she began to drain him, that would not do but he could easily feel her hunger. The timing impractical as he noticed out the corner of his eye how his family were taking battle stances.

_ Sire! _ she screeched into his mind and Mard winced at the sound.

“Not now, it’s not safe,” he whispered as he wedged his finger into her mouth and released the suction of her hold. Gently he pulled her fangs off him as she struggled to lick every drop she could.

“Hungry,” she whimpered, and he hated that sound. Knowing full well that he was not meeting her fledgling needs let alone how he failed to keep her safe.

“You want my blood?” he asked as she tried for his neck again. Mard held on to her waist and pulled her off him, holding her up in the air and off his body. “Then you will do as I say, you will get on Reaper and go home. You will bathe and ready yourself in our bed. You will feed on no one till I return.”

Her eyes went wide as she snarled again and thrashed in his hands, trying to free herself from his grip. The more she fought him the more he wanted to punish her for her disobedience. Some of that he knew she could not help but he was going to fight against fledging nature to see her safe. Also, it was his duty as her sire to care for her in this way and with her particular needs, this was all he had.

Cause her the pain of not feeling him because she demanded it but letting her know that he will return to her. “ _ Pusti _ ,” he growled, giving her a fair shake.

She stopped clawing at his arms and kicking her feet in the air, her eyes began to flicker. Mard listened to the chaos of her mind, hearing the darkness of her vampire powers begin to let go. He also scanned for everything that happened in the last while and found himself shocked at all she had done. That was not good, she gave into full bloodlust and killed many people.

Once this wave passed, her gentler nature would not handle this well. It compounded on the sense of urgency he was feeling as he saw his Uncle Natsu move forward towards the mages approaching.

_ Mard, how do you want to handle this? I can send you back and deal with the mages. _ Merlin telepathically said to him as he felt her power begin to fan outward.

_ She will obey me but let the house know to expect her and Reaper. _ He replied as he projected out his will and forced his bride to sleep. Mard could feel a small tug of his power draining as he fought against her will. Leave it to his  _ pusti _ to be strong of will and carry an unusual trait within a few hours of changing species.

_ Done, make your move now, _ his friend said as he noticed how she summoned her claymores and moved in to strike.

Mard put his bride in the saddle, laying her on her stomach over it and giving a nod to Reaper. The horse snorted and stomped the ground, letting him know his disagreement with this plan. The vampire touched the warhorse’s nuzzle, understanding that he wanted to kill something for taking the person who brings him apples. This was Mard’s life, surrounded by spoiled brats.

“Go,” he said, and Reaper turned around. He began at a trot before going into a gallop and then they were gone. Mard knew they would reach the house in about twenty minutes and trying to catch that horse at a dead run was almost impossible without magic or high-speed vehicle.

The sounds of battle behind him, Mard turned to look over the scene, there was one person missing. The only person Mard had a grudge against, Jose, was nowhere to be seen. Then again, the dark mage rarely ventured out, too scared that Death would finally claim him.

Mard summoned his scythe again and walked towards the house, letting his family handle their battles. From what he gathered, Lucy had managed to kill one mage and learned a valuable lesson over why feeding some types of mages is a bad idea. Then again, it was a lesson he once learned the hard way a few centuries ago.

“Oh, you sexy creature,” Mard turned around as a torrent of bats flew at him. He despised Jose’s magic, though appreciated the panache the mage had for making an entrance. The vampire put his arms up, protecting his face as hundreds of bat wings tried to cut through the leather on him.

As the bats dissipated, “Jose, I figured you were smarter than this,” he said with a smirk as he took in the man roughly thirty feet from him.

“Money, you know how it is,” he shrugged, “nothing personal Mard, she’s a pretty little thing, nice catch,” he said with that accursed grin on his face. Mard wanted to rip his black lips off so no one ever had to see that monstrosity again. Perhaps he could call it a public service.

He pulled Memento Mori off his back and swung it low before planting the base of the staff in the ground. The ground around him cracked apart as a small wave of wind kicked specks of dirt all over the white wearing mage. His gaze never leaving Jose who was still grinning until Mard peel back his top lip, exposing fangs. His opponent nervously chuckled, “come now Mard, stop eye fucking me.”

“Jose, I assure you, I have what the mortals call taste,” he responded, watching the mage’s expression changing to one of pure hatred.

Though Mard was a fan of throwing barbs – literally in many cases – his opponent was quite done. The air around them changed as Jose pulled shadows up from the ground, that was when Mard chose to strike out.

He kicked off the ground, rushing the mage with his scythe in his hand, the goal was to knock him off balance, prevent the darkness from coming up. Mard despised Jose’s magic type, only because he begrudgingly admitted that it was effective. The elder vampire had much in his nightmares and darkness that he had no desire to contend with, not when he was going to commit murder.

This was the moron who thought he could take his bride and even if she wasn’t, this useless sack of blood and meat thought he would steal from Mard Geer Tartaros. The hubris was enough to earn him a taste of the brutality that Mard enjoyed. At least he was planning on this this somewhat fun, before he reaped the mage.

Jose jumped back, narrowly avoiding the blade of his scythe, high in the air he unleashed a wave of power towards Mard. The vampire jumped before it hit the ground and shifted into his demon form. His wings outstretched he flew at Jose; whose wide eyes were solid black with small white pupils. Apparently, no one was holding back tonight, which means the mage may live an extra minute.

Mard flew into Jose and sent them both plummeting towards the ground at full speed. The mage shrieked into his ear as Mard felt the cold and evil malaise of Jose’s being beginning to attack his wings. The pain only sent Mard into bloodlust as the world turned red and the two crashed into the ground.

He felt the impact rattled all the way through his body, his skin and bones arguing with the sudden impact and all the pain. The phantoms at Jose’s command were still on him and Mard snarled at he flicked his torn and bloodied wings, sending them flying. As he blinked, he noticed that Jose was not under him and Mard shook his head to clear the fog.

A laugh echoed in the air and Mard looked up from the crater to see Jose standing there, doing what might be a dance. Though the mage obviously needed rhythm, he could critique such things later and Mard punched his fist into the ground calling up his thorns.

Jose stopped laughing as one vine ripped through his abdomen. Mard could smell the blood and not waiting the surprise attack he reverted to his normal form and ran up the side of the hole. He hit the top and punched Jose straight in the face, enjoying it as he watched his head snap around and teeth flying.

Another vine came from the ground and wrapped around Jose’s leg as Mard hit him again. Though as his fist connected, Jose had delivered his own punch, infused with what felt like lightning into it. Mard’s body convulsed as the darkness raced through his blood and muscles.

That was not the worst of it, the worse of it was that Mard found his mind returning to the most horrific moment of his life. The day his mother died, he could smell the death in the air, see every detail and feel the blood trickling out of his ears as his father screamed in agony over the site. His eyes watered as his chest felt hallowed out and his soul destroyed to see her dead. To see what would have been baby sister carved up on the bed and have his twin hang onto him for strength.

No one held Mard, he had to stand there at eight years old, as the strong one. His family in pieces and all he could do was stand there and hold his crying brother and touch his dad’s shoulder. The young boy could not look away, someone had to look at her, for she was staring right at them.

“Not real,” he whispered as something sharp went through his back. The pain bringing him back into a dark world and no longer in the old bedroom of his parents. The memory so real and vivid he almost felt as if he was truly eight again until he tasted dirt and heard the laugh of a madman.

“Poor Mard, such a beautifully scared creature,” Jose mocked.

He pushed his hands into the ground and summoned his strength to lift himself up. The solid dark weapon tearing through him with each inch he rose but Mard could fight through the pain, luckily it hadn’t hit his heart. 

His heart, Mard rarely spoke with that side of himself, until Lucy. She was taken from him, but not just her the promise of the future. Of family, to hold his own child, to wake up beside someone and be cared for in ways he was denied. Even within a few hours of meeting,  she defied his wrath to hold him, something he was rarely granted with such passion and care. 

This mage. This sack of dark putrid magic dared to take his future from him. To deny Mard Geer of the aspects of life he was owed. No. 

Mard had lost enough, had fought harder than imagined and had been far too patient as the world moved. This was his time, his time for action, and his time to step out of the shadows of his past, towards a brighter life. A life that began when he first saw Lucy. His  _ pusti _ . His Rosebud. His bride. 

Mard focused his anger, transforming it into pure power, sending it into the staff and shattering it. The freed phantoms howled in pain as they were blown away from him in a violent show of force. He saw nothing but a red haze over the world as the wrathful vampire glared at his opponent. 

Jose gulped as Mard reached out and grabbed his throat. His nails extended piecing into the flesh and Mard yanked. It was a beautiful site as a large spray of blood cascaded through the air, covering the enraged vampire.

Mard threw the chunk of skin and muscle behind him as Jose dropped to his knees and covered the hole where his throat was with his hands. Memento Mori appeared in his hand, the extension of his soul obeying his command as he swung the blade up and brought it down in a final arc, removing Jose’s head from his body.

His eyes widened for a moment when he didn’t see the usual flicker of light that happened when he took a soul. That was not good, if he was truly soulless - and not a boastful claim as Mard had assumed - then somewhere in the world was the real Jose. Mard would find that bastard. He roared to the sky before he fell over from the weight of the damage done to him.

* * *

 

The water mage was strong, Merlin had to give her credit for the sheer force of will the mage could throw out. Though Merlin had to be careful, if she tapped into her own mage ability she could do too much damage to the area and that would not be good. After all Earth Land was her home and she did like it here.

“Juvia is impressed, Juvia never fought a vampire,” the woman said as Merlin blocked her water spray with her claymores crossed in front of her.

“Juvia knows it’s annoying to talk like that, ya?” she countered as she came at the woman. Merlin bounced left, then right as she dodged the water being thrown at her.

As she got close the woman turned into solid water and disappeared into the ground. Clever trick, but ultimately stupid as Merlin plunged a sword into the ground and summoning the Arctic winds, she froze it solid.

She wasn’t paying attention as something heavy crashed into her and Merlin went face first into the ground, losing her concentration. Damn she was certain she didn’t get all the water to freeze over. That was going to affect her game plan but first she needed to get this dead weight off her.

Merlin teleported away, moving a few feet to the left of the person who was pinning her, she looked over and noticed how Natsu was rushing towards a distressed Sting. The holy light wielder had his angel wings out as he battled, well a rather smart dressed man with green hair.

She knew they could handle it, but damn this was a reminder that she had spent too much time away from her own native people. Newer mages were getting stronger and that could be a problem, especially if they continued to climb in numbers. Her gut told her at some point she was going to have to do something about magic on this plane, though when the babies were older, and she could be away for a few months to rest.

Being a demi-primal was not everything people thought it was. Then again neither was changing your species because fate had a wonderful sense of humor. Least she was grateful it was Freed, cause being mated to Mard…

Merlin snorted as she felt the ground rumble. She could think about these things later, apparently her water witch was not done yet. Though she spoke strangely, she got bonus points for tenacity and not a bad fighting style.

She kicked at the dead weight and yep… he’s dead. “Oi! Natsu, next time no throwing corpses at me, huh?”

“Oh,” he paused, grinned and rubbed the back of his neck, “sorry Merlin!” The pink haired fire lord went back to the fight and Merlin just rolled her eyes. She did love her family, even if they were crazy, then again, their crazy matched her crazy and so it was fine.

“Dun worry, there’s a glitter bomb with your name on it!” she called out as Juvia reformed in front of her. Merlin looked at her clocks, “seventeen seconds, not bad.”

The woman tilted her head to the side and blinked, Merlin shrugged. “Juvia, I have triplets ta feed, need ta get home, so after you.”

Merlin could feel the pressure change around her and she smiled before she stabbed her other claymore into the ground, screaming “Obliviation!”

Her power channeled through the sword, pulling the Etheramo Juvia had gathered out of the water mage. It collected into a large glowing ball before it shattered into a million drops of water. The woman lost all color, the blue in her hair changed to white, as the pink in her cheeks fades and she turned into a pale reflection of her previous self. She collapsed, and Merlin wiped her brow, it had been a while since she used that trick and damn she should have been practicing more.

Later she was going to talk to her husband about how his tendency to be lazy was starting to affect her. Merlin used to be in better shape and she should not be so tired after such a paltry display of her magic. That was going to eat at her as she heard a roar and her head turned in time to watch Mard fall over.

“Bloody hell,” she whispered as she ran over to her brother. Along the way she vaulted over Natsu as Sting was literally ripping off a man’s head. And people think angels are these nice good guys. They have never seen a Seraphim and Sting was one of her favorites, he was also a little crazy but if Merlin was mated to Natsu, she’d be proper fucked in the head too.

Merlin saw the damage and let out a soft whistle, this fight had not been a pleasant one. The malaise in the air was thick enough to feel like it was coating her skin. She hated mages who had affinity over the Abyss or anything close to it. They just left a bad taste in her mouth.

“Oi, wake up ya lazy pillock,” she said as she shook her friend. Natsu and Sting were on her quickly and Sting knelt to look over his nephew.

“Mard is going to hate me later,” Sting whispered. Merlin knew what that meant, Sting could feel the darkness skittering inside of Mard, better to let him handle it.

“He’s not going to hate anyone, Natsu help me hold him down,” Merlin said as she pressed one hand on his shoulder and her knee on his abdomen. Uncle Natsu did the same as they looked at each other.

“Sorry, Marchkin but Uncle Sting loves you,” Natsu said with a smile and Merlin nodded at Sting.

His hands covered in holy light as he pressed them against the sides of the hole in Mard’s chest. Her friend began to thrash, as he screamed loud enough to hurt. This was necessary, she could feel a wayward bit of darkness inhabiting his body and looking to burrow in. That was not good, and they had to kill it before it really hurt her friend.

Only holy light could handle this and though by species Mard was not a fan of holy light, he’d have to handle it. Merlin thanked all the fates that Uncle Sting was here, she was too tired to try to tap into Kingdom for the power. Cause she just couldn’t have straight up normal magic, oh no, that would be easy and why the hell should life be easy?

The glow faded, and Merlin reached into the cavity and pulled out a black worm like creature. It was dead, and she handed it to Natsu who quickly burned it. She slit open a wrist and poured her blood into the open wound, watching as it began to knit back together. Mard groaned as his eyes fluttered.

“That was a brilliant good time, how about we do it again next Friday?” Merlin chuckled as Mard looked up at her.

“Merlin…” he groaned before he passed out.

“Marchkin will be out for a while, I can carry him back if you wanna go home, Merlin,” Natsu said.

“Smashing idea, I think you two are in better shape than we are,” she said looking at her friend who was paler than normal and the hole in this chest slowly closing. She was tired and her whole body ached, she should have fed from her husband when he said to do so earlier, but she was in a hurry. Next time she might remember to listen to the vampire.

“Told ya, you needed to train more after the change,” Sting grinned at her and Merlin chuckled.

“Alright, yer right for once Uncle Sting, dun get used to it,” she laughed as they stood up. Natsu held Mard in his arms as his wings stretched out. She could feel the sorrow in the demon and gave him a soft smile. This wasn’t his fault, in fact this might very well be partially hers.

After she would see and tend to her babies, it was time to sit down and get back to her day job she’s neglected for far too long. The Living Goddess.

* * *

 

“Dude if you don’t take this seriously, boss is gonna murder you,” Jackal said, and Cobra shrugged. He was busy looking over the resumes of some pretty hot escorts, after all why not have a squad of hot to trot women to play with while defending the castle. Okay maybe they weren’t going to be very good at home defense, but fun they would be fun.

“If Mard murders it’s polite, if he tortures, then you dun fucked up.” he corrected the blonde demon pup. Cobra looked up from the laptop and closed it with a huff, he didn’t want to be skinned again.

“Why not look at some of the Tartaros new recruits?” Silver asked as he served them another round of drinks. The demons were gathered in the kitchen, making plans, drinking and trying to not worry about Sunshine.

_ Reaper and Lucy incoming be ready. _ Cobra heard Merlin’s voice in his head and looked at the rest of the guys. He tried to answer her, but the usual brain itchy feeling followed, meaning she dropped the telepathy.

“Fuck, that can’t be good,” Bickslow said as he ran a hand through his crazy blue hair. The big ex acrobat was a cool guy and cared a lot more about everything than an old hard ass like Cobra ever could.

“Means Mard’s priorities on his bride, that says a lot,” Silver said as he tipped back his drink.

Cobra nodded, trying to not think about seeing just how broken Mard was when they found him in the garden. It was worse than Jai, by like a billion times and the old poison demon felt like he failed family as he cleaned Bossman’s face.

Bossman was family, end of mother fucking story and as he stared at the brown liquid of his glass he thought of when he first met Mard. Centuries ago he was small demon boy, saved from a slave ring and then just forgotten about. Cobra lived on the streets, making money through killing and pickpocketing, on occasion just old-fashioned prostitution. He was runt, with a bad eye and an even worse attitude.

Not like the years gave him a better attitude but that was then.

He had followed the rose smelling man through an alley before he tried to poison him and steal his wallet. Cobra never met a vampire, let alone goddamn royalty. His poison failed and Mard grabbed him by the neck and smashed him into a wall. The vampire had bared his fangs and spoke to him in Infernai, a language he had never heard because he wasn’t raised with actual demons.

Cobra had known he was going to die when he was dropped on the ground and Mard had knelt in front of him. There was something about the man’s eyes that held his attention and he had started talking to him in the common language. He answered the questions and Mard had introduced himself. Then the elegant vampire had asked him if he’d like a bed and food.

Hundreds of years later, here they were, and Cobra would kill, maim, torture or anything for Mard if the vampire just asked. Then it happened, Sunshine showed up and for the first time in ever, the snarky bastard was happy. That was the greatest gift and he was beginning to feel like an ass for not doing more to protect her and Mard on a big fucking day.

He slammed the drink and sparked up a cig, the rest of the demons looked at him. Cobra shrugged, it’s not like this shit was going to kill them, just no one liked the smell. It was a nice little hit of poison and a habit he’d picked up years ago, fuck it.

“Think soon they could be having kids, fun, right?!” Jackal said with a lopsided grin. The kid was always the bit of an optimist, which was adorable and really fucking sad.

He took a drag when he heard the loud explosion at the front of the house, throwing his cig into the sink he ran off with the crew towards whatever the fuck was going on. Jackal was ahead of them as Silver and Bickslow flanked his sides. They sped through the long hallways, disrupting pictures as they moved. Fuck they could fix those later.

“Woah, h-hey pony…” Jackal stuttered, and Cobra cocked a brow.

The large warhorse was glaring at them, it’s eyes red as blood. He didn’t need to hear its soul to know Reaper was not happy, though his concern quickly shifted as the armor vanished and Cobra saw a dirty bloody Sunshine on the horse’s back.

“Reaper, got a nice apple for you, hold still we got Lucy,” Bixy said as he gently reached out for the horse. The horse stomped again, and Cobra came up behind Bixy and put his hand on the big guy’s shoulder.

“Yo, Pinkie Pie, chill the fuck out. I got Sunshine, get her cleaned up?” he asked and instantly the horse the stopped in his movements.

_ Only you _ , a voice growled into his head. Cobra blinked but slowly approached the horse. He knew the horse was telepathic but to hear it was weird as hell. The poison demon nodded as he lifted Sunshine from his back. She looked like crap and out cold, but on a bonus note she was in one full piece.

Cobra carried Sunshine upstairs as he heard Bixy try to coax the stallion into following him for apples and a nice brushing. Figuring they could handle the pony, he would go and get this blood and dirt off her.

She looked like she came out of a fucking war zone, ripped up robe, and blood caked all over her. He walked into the bathroom and decided to use the shower to clean her up. Least he could just walk on in and use the little bench to remove the robe from her.

The shower was set to Mard’s usual temperature, figuring she’s a vampire now, she could handle it. Cobra sat on the little steam bench with Sunshine in his lap as he pulled off the robe. She was completely out of it and that might be a good thing.

He put his nose against her neck and could denote a bit of roses on her and feeling the energy on her. The safest best was that Mard knocked her ass out. That could not be good, that meant there would be some serious issues if she woke up and he wasn’t here with her.

Cobra frowned as he stood up and brought her under the shower head. Sunshine moaned a little in his arms before she wrapped her arms around his neck and then the worst thing in his life happened. She kissed him.

* * *

 

Mard! Oh, stars she found Mard, he kissed her, and she got to have his blood…then he shook her. He pulled her from him, he didn’t want her. Or did he? What did he say?

_ “Then you will do as I say, you will get on Reaper and go home. You will bathe and ready yourself in our bed. You will feed on no one till I return.” _

Till he returned. That was it, he was going to come home and take care of her. That had to be who was holding her, but it didn’t feel like Mard, the lips too chapped and what was that horrible taste. She opened her eyes and instantly pulled back. “C-Cobra?”

She saw the butler his maroon and silver hair plastered against his skull as the water flowed down his handsome face. His clothing was soaked, the white silk shirt turning transparent, showing off the definition of his arms, his tie was a darker purple than normal as it hung loose around his neck and his black vest was collecting water along the edges.

“Yeah, uh, look, yer cute but not my type,” he said with a grin on his face. “Also, don’t ever do that, you want me dead?”

“M-Mard?” she asked, trying to not think too much about being naked in front of the demonic butler.

Cobra set her down and turned his back, she let out a small breath for the privacy as she wiped her lips with the back of her hand. Lucy looked at her toes and saw the water tinted with blood swirling down the drain. She felt like a disaster and was struggling to recall what happened.

“He’ll return, he’s just gotta deal with the people who thought themselves awesome to kidnap you,” he said, and she blinked slowly.

“Ki-kidnapped me?” she asked, grabbing the loofah and soap to start scrubbing her skin.

The butler turned around and stared at her, “Sunshine, what do you remember?”

She squeaked at the realization he was seeing her naked, but she also noticed that he was looking over her head. Then again, she was in a bikini in front of him, was this really the time to worry about her modesty. Right now, she had a bunch of blood to get off of her and to try and figure out what the hell happened.

“Yo, look, get cleaned up and you can tell me then, cool?” he said, and she relaxed a little before nodding.

Lucy breathed in the scent of roses from the soap as she washed her legs. She remembered being in the garden and being fucked within an inch of her life. The way he felt as he pistoned into her, and the delicious burn of his bite. The way he tasted as she…

She grabbed the small mirror on the wall and pulled it out, smiling she saw fangs. Lucy started screaming as she slipped and fell down. A vampire, he made her a vampire? How the hell did she not know that? Wasn’t she just thinking about his blood?

Oh stars, his blood…

Lucy felt a pain in her stomach, she was starving and desperate for food. Real food, not blood, but blood…

She started banging the back of her head against the glass of the shower wall. What was wrong with her? Why did she feel like she had a whole other person living inside of her? That it was no longer just her body.

Things weren’t adding up, they weren’t making sense to her. So, she hit her head harder and heard the glass crack. Lucy jumped and scooted away the smooth cool tiles running against her very sensitive skin as she moved.

“No, oh no…” she whispered as she looked at the damage to the glass and started to cry. Lucy didn’t mean to break something, Mard was going to be angry. The whole bathroom was practically a work of art and she knew he loved his showers.

She curled up into a little ball and slowly started to rock as she cried, trying to stop the strange whispering in her head and the panic in her heart at the thought of an angry Mard.

As the water rushed over her she started seeing flashes of memories. It was all happening to fast for her to track, too much of everything. Even in the shower she felt more sensitive than ever. Practically feeling each and every little drop of water, the exact temperature changes of the water as it slid down her body. The dirt letting go of her scalp and even the blood moving around her veins.

As she listened she felt like she was hearing everything for the first time and the world was too loud. The drain sucking down the water was painful and the damn shower heads could be Niagra Falls for all she knew. Lucy whimpered as another pain radiated out from her stomach, begging to be filled.

Food, she needed food. Mountains of it.

Blood, Mard’s blood and his body. Need to feel him, in all the ways. Must have the sexy vampire who set her soul on fire and could cause her panties to flood with a glance. His dark eyes, smooth voice, beautiful creamy flesh over taunt muscles…

Lucy started hitting the sides of her head as she started thinking about flesh. About pain, about feeling something wild crawl under her skin. She stopped and looked at her knuckles, seeing blood on them, but then it was gone. For a second, she saw a flash of Capricorn under her, his head being smashed in with her small fists.

No… that couldn’t be real. That didn’t happen.

Another flash, this time seeing a man with black and white hair under her as she tore into his inner thigh. She could hear him screaming as his blood filled her mouth. Lucy could feel the glee in tasting it before the pain…

The pain, burning lava tearing down her throat and into her stomach. Lucy curled tighter trying to ignore the pain coursing through her as she then saw Leo under her, his suit ripped as she was…

“No!” she screamed as the glass around her shattered. The sound horrifying as she could also see water sloshing all around her as she drained her maid in a bathtub.

None of this was real, she was going crazy as moment after moment raced before her eyes. Even how she saw her father again before she...

“Rosebud”, she could hear Mard and she opened her eyes to see him standing over her. He was slightly dirty, wearing leather pants, no shirt or shoes and his hair was down. Mard bent over and picked her up, she tried to move away but he was too fast.

She was pressed into his naked chest as he held her. “Mard… I-is it real? Did I? Am I?”

Mard kissed the top of her head as he walked over broken glass and into the bedroom. Lucy was shaking as the temperature dropped so suddenly and every hair on her body began to stand up straight.

He laid her down in the bed before removing his pants and joining her. Mard pulled up the covers and wrapped his larger frame around her. His hands ran down her body, slow strokes, heating up her skin as she relaxed into his warmth.

“It will be alright, you are in our bed, I am here,” he whispered, his words soft and soothing and Lucy couldn’t help but cry even more as things just flooded into her. Such as the fact that the vampire who held her, had also killed her.

“S-Sire, please, am I…” she gulped, “a monster?”

“No, you’re a vampire, my bride, bound to me for eternity,” he said, and she saw the relieved soft smile on his face.

“Why can’t I remember?” she asked.

“Because you are changing and recovering from rebirth, the vampire is you and you are it, it takes time for you to adjust,” he said as he kissed her. His lips were perfect as they melded to hers and Lucy relaxed even more, enjoying his comfort, feeling like she was where she was always meant to be.

“You killed me?”

“Part of the turning, I made it as gentle as possible,” his naked honesty was killing her. Mard spoke about these things as if they were natural but to Lucy this was anything but natural and now she wasn’t even human. Hell, she had died. “I know, ssshhh, I promise it will be okay.”

Lucy sniffled as she realized that who she was just wasn’t enough for Mard, “you changed me.”

“Yes, I did, it was the only way to have you. To know if anything between us was as nature designed,” he tilted her head up and smoothed back her hair. The silk sheets clung to her body as the water soaked into them.

“I d-don’t want…” her voice trailed off as she buried her face into his chest again.

Mard sighed, “change is nature, Rosebud. You had to want this, otherwise,” he gulped, and she could feel him tremble, “you would not be my true bride. The one person in this world I can turn to a vampire to spend eternity with and eventually have a family.”

Family, he wanted a family and her for eternity. Lucy never thought she would hear those words so soon after meeting someone. It was a dream of hers, but with a vampire? Her, raising little vampire babies, surrounded by demons and drinking blood.

Her stomach clenched in pain as she breathed in his rose scent. Lucy couldn’t stop her tongue from poking out and licking his chest. She wanted to bite him, to draw out his blood and feed.

“Go on, feed, then we shall rest, the more you take the clearer you will feel,” he said as he pressed against the back of her head and Lucy opened her mouth to pierce his flesh.

The first drop of blood hit her tongue and she felt alive again, clearer as he said. Yet at what price? As she drank she kept seeing the lifeless eyes of people around her and as she took Mard’s blood Lucy cried.

* * *

_Love and thanks to my previewers, Musicera, GemNika, Im ur misconception and Erza D Law for their feedback on this chapter. This was quite the chapter and there's more to come._

  
Thank you for all the kudos, comments and bookmarks, they mean a lot. 

**Please comment, kudo and bookmark, if you haven't done so already!**


	11. Marked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Updated for MardLu Week 2019

Hiro Mashima Owns Fairy Tail.

* * *

The night was a torrent of emotions, her soul heavily marked in pain as Rosebud fought through everything. She kept reliving the destruction she caused and the lives she drained, each time she would close her eyes. Another whimper and Mard blinked his eyes trying to wake up from the three minutes of sleep he was enjoying.

Only this time he felt her tongue glide up his hardened cock. He looked down to see a mess of golden hair fanned out all over his abs, his pusti nestled between his legs. Mard sighed as she laid kisses to the sensitive head, he figured she had no idea what she was doing but she most certainly had his attention.

He leaned up, resting against one elbow while his other hand raked through her hair, pushing it to the side. She looked at him with startled eyes and let out a soft moan. “Are you determined to learn the art of blowing me?” He asked, watching how she started to form a blush over her beautiful cheeks.

Mard gave her a second before he arched a brow and tapped softly against her cheek. “Y-yes,” she said, her voice tiny.

“If I said I was tired that still would not stop you would it?”

“S-sire?”

Mard was indeed tired but saying no to her, was difficult at best. “Are you hoping to just bring me to arousal for sex or to see me through till I have came in your mouth?”

Her blush deepened and he found this more than just charming, even in his sleep deprived mind. Mard tried to think how much rest he had gotten and could not find a number. It wasn’t much, Mard could tell that by the fact he had still not fully recovered from anything. His chest still hurt, his healing was slow as the lingering holy energy in his body was hindering him. The constant blood loss from keeping her fed, was working against him.

He would love to drink from her, but that would not be likely to help him. It could also hurt her, taking away the power she needed to finish the transition was not ideal. Mard wanted his routine back, his bride healed and for life to finally move forward. There was no way he would take from her and delay any of that, for even on his best days Mard was always selfish.

“Words, pusti,” he reminded her.

“I-I don’t know…” she said before he tongue darted out and licked at the tip.

Mard shook his head, “until you have better control of your fangs, I would recommend you not do that. Do you wish to hurt your sire?”

“N-no!” she screamed before she moved out from between his legs to curl next to him.

“Good girl,” he whispered as he pushed back her bangs and kissed her forehead, “you are making daddy very proud.”

She pulled back from him, her body rigid and she tilted her head at an odd angle. “Daddy?” she hissed and Mard was ready to stab his sleep deprived brain with a q-tip. It was a game he wanted to play with her, but the girl did literally have daddy issues. After all the events, this was certainly not the time.

“Pusti..” he said, trying to reach for her.

“I’ll make you proud…” she said her voice dark and deadly before her eyes began to glow that strange gold. Lucy hissed at him, baring fangs before she moved forward, Mard was not ready for her strike and was thrown off the bed and into the wall with one swipe of her arm. He tried to move to his feet but she was too fast, he remembered hearing his own startled scream and pain tearing through his body before it all went blessedly black.

When Mard eventually woke up his head was resting on top of a smooth, hard and hot chest. A strong arm around his shoulders, holding him close, as if he was a child. He blinked several times, before letting out a yawn, feeling his jaw pop. 

He tried to move his legs but felt another body curled up by them and he didn't want to kick someone for no reason. Mard sniffed the air, realizing that his large bed was packed tight with bodies and one more scent in the room. He moved to sit up when his Uncle quietly told him to rest more and take a drink.

His Uncle did not have compulsion magic but the soft way he spoke had Mard nodding and piercing the skin beneath him. Uncle Natsu’s blood was hot as it burned down his throat but the ancient power was reviving him quickly, taking away the mental fog and restoring his gifts. His Uncle ran a hand through his hair as he sighed. It had been a long time since Mard had drank from his Uncle, he remembered the last time he did.

Mavis had just died and his father had locked himself away to mourn, leaving them in the care of Uncle Natsu. Every night his Uncle Natsu had held him as he cried himself to sleep. Uncle Sting had stayed with Freed, because his brother’s skin was too sensitive to handle the heat of the fire demon. Uncle Natsu had fed the small vampire in the morning, before ushering him in for a bath, trying to make sure Mard had bubbles and toys. 

His Uncles had taken care of them, the days were a little less lonely as the pair tried to make them laugh and played all kinds of games with them. Until Zeref finished his mourning, his Uncles did everything for them, for a while Uncle Natsu was his father and now he felt as if his Uncle was filling that role again.

Sure Mard thought he was silly and a bit crazy but Uncle Natsu always had heart and loved the boys as his own. Mard appreciated it and though he should be upset that his bride in another man’s arms, he couldn’t. If anything he could only be angry that his own father wasn't doing this. No, Zeref took off again and Mard was ready to growl when Uncle Natsu pressed his thumb against Mard’s jaw forcing the vampire to let go.

“Floare?” he heard his father’s voice and sat up taking in the scene. As he thought the bed was packed. Both his uncles there with his pusti, Jackal by his feet, like he used to do as a small puppy and got scared. Cobra had his head on Lucy’s stomach, holding her legs in place and standing at the foot of the bed was his father. 

Zeref looked a mess, his eyes sunken, skin paler than normal, hair a mess and his shirt was torn with drops of blood on the white collar. Mard tilted his head as he considered his father’s appearance, not understanding what had happened.

“Father, what happened?” he asked as the other people in the bed began to stir and move. Uncle Natsu sat up and put a hand on Mard’s cheek as he kissed his forehead. 

“You guys had a bad night, we all came to help,” Uncle Natsu said.

“Her vampire soul was heavily distressed and you were healing from the damage done.” his father ran a hand through his hair, “I did what I could for her, I am so sorry.” He bowed his head and Mard saw his father’s shoulders shake. 

“He’s taking this badly, be kind,” Uncle Natsu whispered and Mard nodded, watching tears fall from his father and on the bed. Jackal and Cobra moved out of the bed, both demons giving them sad looks. 

“Yo, we gonna get some food for everyone,” Cobra said and Mard nodded to him, sending him a mental thank you for their help. “We like Sunshine too, Bossman. You ain’t gotta do this shit alone.” The aged butler said as he pulled Jackal by the collar out of the room before the demon pup could speak. 

Mard felt a tingle in the bed and he looked over at Uncle Sting, who was glowing. He couldn’t handle his Uncle’s archangel power but he noticed how Lucy hummed as she curled tighter against him, he had never seen that before.

“We need to talk about her, floare,” his father said as he handed Mard a robe. Uncle Natsu rolled out of the bed, letting Mard stand up and put on the robe. He looked over at Uncle Sting who smiled at him and made a shooing motion with his hand. 

“We’ve got her, go on Marchkin,” Sting said as a wing manifested and wrapped around his little bride. 

There was something beautiful about that moment, she was such a kind soul who should be adored by angels.What happened was not her fault, it was his but she would have the nightmares and the dark mark across her soul for the rest of her life. Perhaps the kindness and love of his archangel relative could help her not feel quite so much like a creature of hell. It was a wistful thought but Mard would do whatever he could to see it happen. 

He gave a firm nod and followed his slow moving father out of the room. 

They walked down the hallway, his father looking at the ground and Mard sighed. He put a hand on his father’s shoulder and the elder vampire turned to him and hugged him. Mard held his father as the man cried and apologized for failing him. That he didn’t think Mard wanted him there and all of his sorrow. 

“I know father, no one could have predicted this,” he said, trying to keep an open mind and to be kind as his Uncle said.

His father pulled back and wiped his tears away as Mard opened the door to his office. They walked into the room and Zeref took a seat in the plush wingback leather chair. Mard sat behind his desk, leaning forward he rested his head in hands as he waited for his father to gather his wits.

“When you had your bride and the transition took, I couldn't stay. I-I…” his father began to cry.

Mard sat back and watched, he had not seen his father unhinged like this since mother was killed. He let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair, which someone was kind enough to braid for him. “It is fine father, this is not your fault but I need you to pull it together and tell me what is wrong with my bride.”

His father lifted his head out of his hands and sniffled, Mard opened the top left drawer and pulled out a handkerchief. He handed the light purple silk fabric to his father, who accepted it and tended to clean up his face. Mard was doing everything he could to remain patient but he had to know about his bride.

He could feel that she was at peace and was currently not dreaming but resting. That he was grateful for but he knew soon she would wake and would need him. Mard hoped that his father could make this brief, he hated being away from her and letting others do his job of caring for her for him.

Though he was fantastic for delegation of duties, with her, this was different. Mard needed to be there, needed to care for her as only her sire could do. Letting others do his work made him feel even more weak than he was before his Uncle had been generous enough to feed him.

“It’s rare but it can happen, she’s a holy vampire, I’m not certain what gift of the Celestine she will get but it’s powerful.”

Mard blinked, “that can be problematic, holy energy is my least favorite.” It was a situation he had to deal with, his brother had no issues with handling holy energy but for Mard it would hurt.

“I know, I don’t recover well from being hit with it, that’s only being hit with it, I never had issues with feeding from a holy creature,” Zeref looked down before dabbing his eyes again. His head lifted, “on occasion she will require blood from someone who is also from that side of magic. Uncle Sting and Merlin can help or find an angel to keep on retainer.” he said.

“What does not make sense then is the blood lust, Freed did not have that problem with Merlin. Is she not a holy vampire?” As far as Mard knew, Merlin had taken the transition rather well, though Freed admitted that he was worn out from her. 

“No, not on the same way Lucy is, you can have someone who was a mage with holy magics but when they become a vampire it’s not the same as acquiring a Celestine soul. Also Merlin was unique to start with this, the first demi-primal ever to transition. Even I didn’t know it was possible,” he said.

Mard was a bit more confused, but as a pure bred he never had to think about all the ramifications of different species being forced into their biology. There simply were not enough hours in the day for him to look through all of that information. That and why should he, it was his father not him who was in charge of the whole damn race. Though he was quite annoyed at his own shortcomings in this matter. 

“It was never your job to be a scholar of your own people, let alone know about this kind of anomaly, you can blame me for this. I should have raised you and Poet better,” his father sighed and ran a hand over his face.

Mard had to resist the impulse to agree with his father, he was still trying to be nice as instructed. “We are both at fault, I should have prepared more in the anticipation of finally having a bride and understanding everything it entails.”

“You didn’t want a bride, it was never a priority for you.” he father wisely pointed out and Mard nodded. Mard had too many ambitions and plans before a bride was on his list. It went further down the list after his failure with Jai, he didn’t want to suffer again. His pusti had changed all of that, of course Uncle Natsu pushing his buttons had moved that along. 

“So now what?”

“Floare, I spoke with your Uncles, with your permission the three of us would like to stay here to help her finish transitioning.”

Mard arched a brow, “what about the triplets? Are you not helping Freed and Merlin with them?”

“Poet and I spoke, he agreed that this is a bit more pressing and that you need me more. They are fine with their children and Wendy has stayed with them to help them,” he said.

He sat back and looked at his father, the vampire looked hopeful. Mard knew that his father was trying to atone and do what was right by him but he was not certain if he wanted the elder here. Zeref had nasty tendencies to take over and demand things done his way, it was a source of problems between them. 

“If you do there will be rules,” Mard said, his eyes fixed on his father’s face.

“Of course, I know this is your house and she is your bride, your rule comes first. I just ask you respect my knowledge and let me help when I can.”

“That is fair, how long do you think you will need to stay?”

Zeref shrugged, “every vampire transitions differently. Your mother took a month, Merlin took three days. Lucy will not be complete until her own power manifests, I do not know how long that will take.”

Up to a month with his Uncles and father living under his roof, Mard was not certain if his sanity could hold out. “There is no way to hasten the process?”

His father shook his head and Mard slammed his fist into the desk, making the vampire jump at the sudden noise. If anything Mard despised most in this world, it was not knowing.

* * *

 

Natsu milled around the hallway as he waited for his brother and nephew to finish speaking. He ran a hand through his pink hair as he paced, wanting to go in there and fix everything. This was his mess, he pushed his Marchkin into doing this and then let her get taken when she was weakest. The first few hours of a new vampire being critical for how they would function.

He hated himself all over again and found his hand hovering over the healing bite wounds his nephew left on his chest. It had been hundreds of years since he fed little Marchkin. The kid always had a strange bite, it was because he was like his father, a darker vampire. 

The damage was done and there was no way to turn back time. Well not without paying a price, but it wouldn’t be him who would pay that price. Natsu shook his head letting the stupid thoughts tumble out of there. 

The Fire Lord jumped when he heard the thump of Mard striking his desk. He had his hand on the door knob and was ready to enter when he heard Marchkin tell him to enter. He pushed open the door and took in the scene, Marchkin behind his desk, looking as annoyed as ever and his brother slumped in the chair, dabbing his eyes.

Natsu closed the door, “you tell him?”

“The three of you here for an unknown amount of time and Lucy is a holy vampire. This is my lot in life, Uncle. Thank you for the blood and the care,” Marchkin said and Natsu grinned.

“Your dad was the biggest help, he got her vampire soul to obey and drink from Stingy. Once she did that she passed right out, though you were a mess, Marchkin.” he said and Mard tilted his head to the side.

“Ah, sorry Floare, I erased a few of your memories,” Zeref said and Natsu saw Mard begin to stand and he rushed to the desk. Putting a hand on his nephew’s shoulder he pushed the vampire back into the chair and shook his head in warning.

“Father…” he growled.

“Marchkin it had to be done, trust me, look at your dad,” Natsu said giving his brother a sad smile.

“What happened?” Marchkin asked.

Zeref shivered in the chair and Natsu nodded at his brother. His brother stood and pulled off his battered and stained shirt. Marchkin’s eyes went wide as he slumped back in the chair. Natsu could taste the pain in the air as father and son stared at each other. Zeref’s chest was still trying to heal from the wounds on it, a battle field of cuts, bruises and a large chunk of skin missing from his side. 

“W-who?” he asked.

Natsu kneeled beside his nephew and took the vampire’s cold hand in his own. “Your bride, Marchkin, you’re a strong vampire, we all know that but…”

* * *

 

Zeref’s heart had been a mess since last night, when he saw history repeat itself. As his son held his bride, he saw it. It was faint but unmistakable, holy energy glittering on her skin. The same glow Mavis had and for him it was too much.

All he could think of was when he turned Mavis, when he held his wife before she was taken from him. Taken from their children, leaving a mark across his soul that festered for years. Lucy had that same glow and Zeref could not watch, could not stay there, could do nothing but find an excuse to go home.

Cana made an easy excuse but his brother wasn’t sold, they had argued briefly until he begged Natsu to let it go. If Zeref knew his brother, it was the lingering anger from their spat that caused him to look for a fight. Yet the elder vampire could not stay there, not when he was reliving one of the greatest moments of his life. The night Mavis became his bride, a simple moment filled with all the love he ever held. Her beautiful eyes looking at him with hope and promise as she smiled, little fangs peeking under deep pink lips.

The odds of a holy vampire were exceedingly low, in hundreds of years only three had even been made. All three of them, were killed early because of what they are. Mavis was one and now his beloved floare had a fourth. Zeref had suspected that one of his children could have the capability to produce one, but he had never thought it would be Mard.

Mard was his brightest most beautiful child, taking after Zeref more than Freed did. Yet his little flower was the darker one, when he became a man his bright smile and kindness turned to snark, wrath and bloodlust. Zeref knew that was his doing, by leaving the boys in their greatest hours of need, he failed them and so Mard grew darker. 

Zeref thought of Mavis as he turned to drown out the memories and his failures with whiskey. It only made things worse and he found himself a shambled mess in his living room. That was when Natsu came for him, trying to explain everything but his little brother didn’t know.

“Her eyes are gold! Zeref we need help, she could hurt Marchkin,” Natsu said his voice rushed.

“No bride hurts their sire, Natsu, you were there to protect them,” he said.

His brother had slumped to the floor, his claws raking into the marble as he cried. Zeref wasn’t too far gone in his drink to not know that something was very wrong. He had knelt beside his brother and forced his head up to look at him. 

“I got distracted...mages...it was coordinated…” his voice trailed off and Zeref grabbed his brother. He had pressed his forehead against his and stole all the memories from Natsu. He saw it all, and he flinched as he heard his son scream in pain. Zeref knew that scream, for it was the same one he let out when he found his bride murdered. A dark cry from the blackest parts of a shattered heart, heavy in fear, loathing, dread and above all hopelessness.

“No…” he whispered as he saw Lucy walk out of the mansion. Eyes of full gold, covered in blood and holding a severed head. A holy vampire who gave into wrath while so young, this was a bad sign for all of them. 

It was part of their lot in life, holy vampires had to be treated with grace, kindness, love and passion in their first few hours. Otherwise they became bloodlusted and programmed to attack anything darker than themselves. Zeref had the unfortunateness of finding this out once, a woman named Anna.

Anna Heartfilia, the keeper of the Great Gate, a holy vampire who was tortured after being sired and set to destroy the world to reform it. She was a pawn in the machinations of a madman, one bent on seeing chaos restored and demons free to do how they wish, as a ruling class.

That was when Zeref was done with Acnologia and his legions. He launched the great war and restored order to the human world, by creating his version of Hell.  Somewhere he knew Acno still roamed, the ancient being too powerful to kill, even with his brother at his side but the damage was done to him. It had been hundreds of years since then but something told Zeref he was too relaxed and if a new holy vampire was born there must be something the Universe was trying to tell him.

“Natsu, get up, I need to go save my son,” he said as he lifted his heavy demon brother from the ground. His hands on his brother’s shoulders, he teleported them straight into Mard’s bedroom.

Zeref was not prepared for what he saw, had never seen his son so weak and physically in peril. Above all his son was scared, for Mard had no idea how to restrain her without hurting her and causing her pain, would go against his every nature. Not with how he looked at her, not with how certain Natsu was about them and how right they simply were. 

Zeref unleashed his own power, letting his easy going facade to drop as he grabbed the holy vampire. She twisted into his grip, her claws digging into his chest as holy energy seared into his skin. Lucy hurt him, proving to be stronger than Anna and more reckless than Mavis ever was. He had no chance to make the same mistake and so he fought the holy vampire as if she was his equal. 

She had some level of training but not enough, as she threw another punch, Zeref stepped back, grabbed her wrist and threw her over his hip. She shit the ground hard enough to crack the beautiful marble and Zeref moved to straddle her chest, pinning her. Lucy twisted and tried to toss him off but by then he had made eyes contact. “Listen to me, I am Zeref Dragneel, Ruler of Hell, The First Vampire, the Beacon of the Damned and your God-King.”

As he stared into wide golden eyes, he had to repress the urge to cry to see them. Too much like Mavis. Instead he used his anger and pain from losing her to force his will into Lucy and he shut down her young vampire soul. Commanding her, as only the father of the vampire race could, commanding her as an ancient power and ruler of Hell. Nothing less than would have worked but the damage was done. Even he would need a little time to recover from this, but that would need to wait.

Zeref healed his son and took away the painful memories, before he collapsed into his brother’s arms, his body broken, heart hurting and old memories screaming for attention.

* * *

 

Zeref leaned across the desk and looked at his son with bloodshot eyes, still leaking tears, Natsu knew he was trying. “Lucy is something so unique and rare, that there was no way you could contain her on your own. She took us all by surprise….when I showed up…” A tear slid down his cheek, “you were already a bloody mess and she was ready to kill your Uncle.”

“So that gave you a right to play with my mind?” he snarled and Natsu gripped his nephew’s hand tighter. His nephew looked at him as Natsu set his jaw.

“Yes, because you would tear yourself apart. I asked him too, stop hating your dad for a change.” he growled.

“I have seen worse in my life, why erase this?”

Natsu stood up, “because, seeing your bride like that was killing you, Marchkin you were scared and screaming. It was all we could do, to save you from you.” There was moment of silence in the air before Marchkin’s face fell.

His nephew put his head into his hands and softly sobbed, Natsu rubbed his back. He traded glances with Zeref, his brother putting his shirt back on and wincing. Zeref came around and placed a kiss to the top of Mard’s head, whispering that it was alright and he loves him. 

Natsu was feeling optimistic about all of this, maybe his family could finally heal a little. Though the tender scene of father helping son was short lived when a loud scream shattered the air. 

Marchkin stood up, “Lucy,” he said as he vaulted over the desk and blew out of the room. Natsu was quickly behind him, worried about his mate but he paused mid stride to look at his brother.

“I’m sorry, Zeref, I miss her too,” he said and took his brother’s hand before pulling him into a hug.

“Hug later, Natsu, my child needs me now,” he said and Natsu gave his brother a sharp nod before catching up to Marchkin. In the back of Natsu’s head he hoped that this was the start of his brother and nephew finally putting their life back together.

* * *

 

Lucy woke up feeling warm and calm, she was in the arms of someone who wasn’t her sire and she screamed in her shock. The door slammed open and she saw the hazy form of Mard come at her. He wrapped his arms around her and placed soft kisses to her head.

“Sssshhh, it was just Uncle Sting, I am sorry I left you,” he said as she whimpered in his arms.

Lucy tried to calm herself but she didn’t understand why he left her alone. He said he was never leaving her and yet she woke up again, without him. Though she had no idea how she even got here. She remembered being rescued and screaming in the shower but that was it. Though an ancient voice circled in her head, repeating the phrase of “forget”.

It was not her sire’s voice nor his power, she never felt it before. She did start to feel a bit more normal and she breathed in the coffee and roses scent of Mard, taking comfort in it. He held her as she tried to work her way through the mental fog, trying to pull her little brain bits back together.

“Okay, now?” he asked and she nodded, pulling out of his embrace and looking over at his family.

“I’m sorry Uncle Sting, I-I was just…”

“It’s okay Blondie, no harm done,” he said with a smile on his face as he held Natsu’s hand. She also noticed Mard’s dad in the room and he looked awful, she swallowed. Did he get hurt trying to save her?

She swallowed hard, “Papa Zeref, did you get hurt because of me?”

His eyes went wide for a moment before he gave her a gentle smile. “I will be alright, daughter. Do not worry, I’m old, I recover.” Lucy knew it was a deflection and she felt her stomach drop.

“I-I’m sorry,” she said and Mard tilted her head, forcing her to look into his coal black eyes.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he said and she opened her mouth but he put a finger against her lips, “nothing, Rosebud.”

The door opened and Lucy could smell all kinds of food, her mouth began to water as her stomach rumbled. Cobra, Jackal, Silver, and Bixy were all pushing carts of covered dishes. There had to be enough food for fifty people, but as she watched Uncle Natsu and Sting go wide eyed and drool coming out of their mouths, she knew it may not be enough. 

“Hey Sunshine, got some bacon for you,” Cobra said as he locked the wheels on the cart and removed one of the covers. Lucy smiled at him as she situated herself a bit better on the bed. She noticed that her sire did not look amused and if she had to guess he was calculating crumbs in the bed.

Mard sat next to her as Jackal put trays on their laps, he was still holding her hand as they were served. Lucy’s mouth watered at the aromas, her stomach gurgling in anticipation. She felt like she hadn’t eaten in years but tried to maintain her manners as she went to attack the eggs, bacon, and steak set for her.

The first bite of bacon hit her tongue and she let out a soft whimper. It tasted better than any bacon she had ever had in her life. In fact she could taste all the subtle nuances of flavor, adoring the smoky salty goodness of it. 

Lucy had gone through three helpings of breakfast before she leaned back and happily patted her belly. Mard just raised an eyebrow at her before he took another sip of coffee. She let out a little burp and blushed before apologising.

“That’s a compliment,” Silver said as he took the tray off her lap and gave her a warm smile.

Lucy curled up, ready to take a nap and feeling like an overly full million dollars. She curled up against Mard who was busy going through his phone, she looked at the screen and giggled when she noticed he was playing a video game.

“We all have vices, I blame Nika for this,” he said as characters on the screen began to fight.

“Floare, I’m going to go take a nap, any guest room in particular?” Zeref asked as he yawned and stretched. Lucy felt so bad for him, she just absolutely knew she was responsible for his pain.

“The west wing should be fine, same you both Uncles,” he said, still concentrating on his little screen.

“Thank you, everyone,” she said as the room started to empty out a little. It took a minute before Mard set down his phone and wrapped himself around her.

She laid with him for a few minutes before she swallowed, “Sire?”

“Not now Rosebud. You do not need to know everything right now. You need to work on healing and going through the change, nothing else matters,” he said his voice soft.

“But I’ve already changed,” she said as he kissed the top of her head.

“Yes, but you still need to adapt to the changes and it is not complete until we know what your vampire powers are. This takes time and no one can rush this for you,” he said.

Lucy huffed and he chuckled, “and you wonder why I call you brat.”

She opened her mouth, closed it and fought against the urge to argue. Instead she snuggled into his embrace and tried to concentrate on resting. Lucy was feeling restless, she was a bit tired of being in a bed, she wanted to go run around and try more things. 

“Sire?” she asked her voice tony as she played with a lock of his dark indigo hair.

“No, we are not going outside right now. This is resting time,” he said and she let out another indigent huff. “Do you really want to disobey me?”

Lucy’s eyes went wide for a moment at the dark overtones of his voice. She felt like he had reached into her very soul and was going to put her over his knee and spank her. She tried to move, maybe a more comfy position but Mard held her tighter to him, not letting her go anywhere.

Lucy didn’t like feeling trapped, she didn’t want to be confined. She tried to wiggle out of his grasp but Mard only held tighter before he started growling. The dark sound causing her to shiver in anticipation as her body started to warm up at the threat of his punishment.

“No, I have been kind thus far but,” he pinched her chin and forced her to look into his eyes, “playtime is over.”

She felt his magic dance all over her skin as something wrapped around her. Lucy was lifted in the air, her entire body wrapped inside of his vines. She fought and wiggled but absolutely could not move as she watched her sire, shift to his back and look up at her. 

“If you cannot lie still with me, then you can stay there,” his eyes hard, they bore into her, “out of my touch.”

She was certain this was the highest level of hell and she wasn’t certain if that excited her more or put the fear of God into her. Yet as she watched Mard in the bed, the vampire had decided to do the cruelest thing imaginable to her. Her reached into his pants and pulling out his cock, he began to slowly stroke, all the while staring at her a bit of satisfaction on his face.

* * *

 

I know this update took a while to craft but as you can tell, there's a lot going on here and things are only going to get more complicated.... yes, more complicated. 

I hope you enjoyed it and thank you so much for all the kudos and comments on this so far.

Please take that moment to comment and kudo, it means so much!


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